


Death of the Legend

by Badwlf7



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, F/M, Not Canon Compliant - The Legend of Korra, Post-Avatar: The Legend of Korra, legend of korra - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2018-12-08 17:11:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 22
Words: 167,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11651052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Badwlf7/pseuds/Badwlf7
Summary: After President Raiko is assassinated, Korra, Asami, Lin, Mako, and Kya must deal with a familiar nemesis as well as face their own enemies within themselves.





	1. Prologue

President Raiko took the stage and cleared his throat, reaching into his suit jacket he pulled out his speech and layed it down on the podium. "My fellow citizens, four months ago this parcel of land was nothing but a barren field on the outskirts of Republic City. Four months ago, and army laid waste to our city, destroying ninety percent of its infrastructure. Kuvira and her army brought with them a weapon the likes of which the word had never seen. The weapon was capable of leveling whole buildings and destroying city blocks. With such assured destruction we were left with no option but surrender. Thanks to the efforts of many, we were to surrender an empty city, thanks to those efforts most of us escaped the wrath and destruction that awaited. When all seemed lost, when our defeat was certain, a group of Republic City citizens did not accept defeat. They would not bow to a crazed dictator, even in the face of overwhelming odds. They did not give in without a fight. They decided to put their own lives on the line in the defense of our home and our lives. Avatar Korra, Lieutenant Detective Mako, his brother Bolin, Hiroshi and Asami Sato, Master Tenzin and his Air Nomads, Chief Lin Beifong and her sister Suyin. As well as Mr. and Mrs. Varrick and a host of dedicated others protected us and our City. We owe them all a debt that we cannot hope to repay." President Raiko gestured to his left where the aforementioned group sat together on stage. "While they all sustained injury, one member of this group paid the ultimate price." President Raiko paused for effect. "Hiroshi Sato, laid down his life so that our group of heroes could take down Kuvira and her super weapon. Without his sacrifice all would have been lost. It is in his memory that we dedicate the beginning of the New Republic City. Hiroshi Square!" President Raiko raised his hand and gestured to the giant statue as the curtain hiding it dropped. Thunderous applause followed as the crowd gazed upon the statue of Hiroshi Sato for the first time.

Korra reluctantly let go of Asami's hand as she stood, it was her turn to give a speech. As Asami headed towards the podium Korra found herself wishing she had Asami's natural gift of public speaking. She had helped Asami prepare the speech, but would never be able to deliver it herself. She watched as Asami smoothed her speech over President Raiko's on the podium. She could see Asami's grief in the way she carried herself, this was as close to a eulogy that Asami was going to be able to give her father. Korra turned her head and surveyed the crowd, she knew they had all been screened and searched at the entrances of the park. Usually she'd frown on such intensive security but she knew it was necessary.

"My father..." Asami began.

Korra could see a tear roll down Asami's cheek, she looked at the distant skyscrapers lining the square hoping Asami could continue. Korra narrowed her gaze looking at the top of the Southern Water Tribe Cultural center. She could swear a person was on the balcony. Nothing more than a dark shape at this distance, but something screamed at her that it was a human. The figured moved in a swirl of motion. Korra's heart exploded with adrenaline, before she could think she was sprinting across the stage. She knew bending when she saw it. She leapt towards Asami. Korra turned in mid air, her adrenaline made it seem like slow motion. She could just make out the blur of metal rocketing towards Asami. Her shoulder connected with Asami Shoving her to the right and putting Korra in the father of the projectile. She hit the stage hard. Korra had been hit by boulders enough times to know the feeling of having the wind knocked out of her. Immediately she realized this felt much worse. She tried to gasp for air, her lungs felt like she was breathing in water. Her vision blurred. She tried to breathe, she could feel the air leaving her but couldn't bring any back in. She tried to move her arms but the stage floor beneath her was slick with a warm liquid. She knew what the liquid was, her mind tried to grab the word from her thoughts but it kept slipping from it's grasp.

"KORRA"

_What?_ She thought back at the disembodied voice screaming her name. She tried to answer back again but with a blink of her eyes she instantly felt exhausted.  _Why am I so sleepy?_ Korra's thoughts flowed over her concern about the warm sticky pool she was laying in.  _I...I need to rest._ Korra's eyes slowly drooped shut. 

I

Hello Dear readers, this is my first entry on Archive of Our own, however while this is my first fan fiction I began writing it almost 3 years ago now. I have finished part one and posted it on Fanfiction.net, at the suggestion of one of my reviewers I decided to upload Death of the Legend here as a completed work. However since I started writing this story years ago, I do not have the original 6 chapters or so saved and will have to transcribe them. After those are transcribed I should be able to update very very quickly. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I have enjoyed reading it. My goal some day is to be an author of more than just fan fiction, a character introduced later in the story called 'Ren' is the namesake and inspiration for the main character of my own book. So please, review! Tell me what to do better what you didn't like, what you loved etc etc. I need all the help I can get to make my stories the best they can be! Please enjoy and review!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: An Afternoon’s mourning

  
Asami paced methodically across her bedroom, still in her black mourning outfit from the dedication ceremony. Thankfully the dark black color disguised most of the blood that had soaked her clothes. She had just begun to deal with her father’s death. She had pushed on through the aftermath of the battle with Kuvira and the construction of the New Republic City. But pushing through loss was not the same as dealing with it, she knew eventually she would have to come to terms with her father’s permanent absence. However first she would have to deal with today’s events. Her thoughts were shattered with a sudden knock on the door. 

“Asami?”

She recognized Makos voice. “Come in,” She watched as he walked in and stood an almost safe distance away. She sighed as she realized she wasn’t the only one who’d ended up soaked in blood. “Well?”

“She’s alive. Kya got to her just in time.” Even though the news he brought was good, it did little to cut through the tainted mood of the day. 

Asami held a hand to her mouth, losing Korra would’ve been too much to process. The day had gone from awful to disastrous in a few moments. All she could remember was beginning her speech then being shoved sideways by Korra, then everything went crazy. So many screams and even more blood. _But at least she survived…_ “When can I see her?”

I

Korra’s chest throbbed as Kya guided a glowing mass of water over her wound. Korra had woken up in her room at the Sato estate with a bandaged over her chest and Kya ready to heal her. She wished she was still unconscious, she did not like what she’d woken up to. A hole in her chest, a city in panic, and a dead president. She thought about asking questions, but every time she spoke her chest fought back. Instead Korra listened to Lin brainstorming ideas with Kya.

“Have you ever seen anything like it?” Lin asked.

“No the wound isn't typical of bending, fire burns, ice wouldn’t penetrate as deep, and neither would earth.” Kya answered as she guided the water methodically over Korra’s wound.

Lin brooded. _Earth wouldn’t…but metal would_. But who and how? “I’ll have to get in touch with Su, she’ll know if it’s possible with metal.”

  
Korra spoke, her wound attacking in protest, her mouth still saturated with the iron taste of blood. “It was metal…there was someone on the new cultural center’s roof.” Korra was no stranger to pain, but the fresh blood in her mouth alarmed her. She knew she was hurt, but was only just now considering how close she’d come to death. She should’ve bent it, she should’ve been fast enough. _President Raiko is dead…because I failed._

  
Kya could feel the resistance in the glowing water. “It’s not your fault Korra, no one saw it coming.”

  
“She’s right kiddo,” Lin agreed, she knew the feeling and had been in Korra’s shoes many times. She also knew that it didn't get any easier. 

“I could’ve saved them both…” Korra sighed. 

“You dove in front of him, if you were a police woman I’d be giving you a medal.” Lin crouched beside Korra trying to find the right words. “I've never told you much about when I was younger, but as a rookie cop on the beat, you see everything.” She paused hoping Korra was honestly listening. “I was out on patrol with my partner, an old bastard named Lao, we stumbled in on a burglary. Lao was busy fighting two of the criminals and I went after the third.” Her jaw tightened, while she’d relived the story hundreds of times, she wasn’t used to telling it. “I was so sure i could catch him, I followed every protocol and all my training. But I didn’t expect him to be a combustion bender. When I finally cornered him he smiled and fired at me. Lao must’ve known I was in trouble…he used his cables to pull me out of the way. Just in time to take the blast for me.” Lin cleared her throat and paused. “Korra, the point is that even when you make all the right choices, it can still go all wrong that’s just the way it is sometimes.” 

Kya nodded. “She’s right you know,” She brought the orb of glowing water back into a circular pattern around Korra's wound.

Korra nodded, it was unusual for Lin to give advice, but if there was anything that Korra needed it was advice. She winced as Kya guided the glowing orb back around, healing was necessary but it still stung. She considered Lin’s advice, Raiko was dead, assassinated, Korra knew how to deal with Assassins. “So how do we catch this bastard?”

  
“Well my officers are looking for any evidence, I’ll send word soon about checking the balcony of the cultural center.” Lin offered. “Once we find something you’re welcome to help track the assassin down.”

  
Kya smirked at Lin’s bravado. “Well, I think she should take it easy for a day or two, but you should be alright for what’s left of the night.”

  
Korra thanked Kya as she left her room, Lin lingered a moment or two longer praising to keep Korra up to date then left for the crime scene. Korra sighed as the door shut and she was alone. She let her head fall back on her pillow and her eyes shut. _President Raiko…way to go Korra,_ She swore at herself. _All I was trying to do was save Asami, how was I supposed to know the target was Raiko?_ She briefly thought back to when all the newspapers were taking approval ratings on her and grimaced. It was hard enough being the Avatar without a negative commentary from the city. Worse still Republic City had not held elections in almost six years, and a successor was not an easy thing to find. She looked out the large windows of her room, the weather seemed to reflect the event of the day: Death. Storm clouds were moving in fast towards the estate and rain was imminent. If not for her failure Korra would have been in a good mood, she loved the rain and the storms. She closed her eyes and tried to push all of the thoughts about this new crisis away and clear her mind. 

I

Asami opened the door to Korra’s room, she looked at the bed unable to tell if Korra was asleep or meditating. She glanced around the room, I need to get a maid in here. Dust lined most of the furniture as this room was mainly for keeping up appearances, not for Korra to sleep in. 

“Asami? Korra asked blearily still half asleep.

“How are you feeling?” Asami asked crossing the room and cautiously sitting on the edge of the bed next to Korra.

“Glad that you’re alive…but upset that Raiko died.” 

“Raiko wasn’t your fault Korra,” She took Korra’s hand. “I owe you my life, once again.” 

It was true Korra was glad she was able to save Asami, she had no idea what she would do without her. But Raiko's death sat on her shoulders no matter how reassured she was. “I should’ve saved you both.” 

Asami wondered what to say to a girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders. She had known Korra as the invincible Avatar. Even when Zaheer had nearly killed her, Korra kept on going. However Asami knew when her girlfriend was stressed, and even the strongest things will eventually fracture under enough stress. She moved so she could lay alongside Korra and kissed her temple. “I love you.”

  
Korra smiled through the weight of failure. “I love you too.” 

I

Mako pulled his poncho over his head, the rain had already soaked him to the bone but Lin insisted. He stood on the stage running through the events in his head. _Okay, I take my seat next to Asami and Korra, on the left side of the podium. Then the President gets up to make his speech. He makes his speech._ Asami leaves _Korra’s side…why are those two joined at the hip these days? She gets up to give her speech. Korra notices something wrong and charges!_ He followed her imaginary footsteps. _Boom I knock Asami over and take…whatever it was to the chest. People start to freak out, Raiko slumps forward on the ground, dead._ He neglected to relive the part where he tried frantically to stop the President’s bleeding and moved his body off stage. He flicked on his flashlight, the dark rainy skies and dried up blood made for an almost invisible stage floor. Mako inspected Korra’s dried blood pool, then Raiko’s. The seats were all strewn around, some of them knocked over in an attempt to run, others knocked over trying to get to the wounded. Grabbing the nearest chair he placed it right where Raiko was sitting. “Hey Lin?”

Lin’s metal boots thudded on the temporary state floor. “Got something?” 

Mako sat straight up. “Where was Raiko injured.” 

She thought back to the coroners report. “Right in the heart.” 

“So whatever it was came from the cultural center,” Mako said barely able to see the building through the thick rain. “Hit Korra, then went down?”

  
“I don’t see how that is even possible.” She said dejectedly following Mako’s imaginary trajectory in her mind. “Let’s just go with what we know. Raiko was struck in the chest leaving a hole in his heart.” Lin walked behind him. “And one a little lower on his back.”

  
Mako stood up shining his flashlight on the stage behind Raiko’s seat. Through the rain and the blood stains he could see a hole in the floor. “Whatever it was must’ve gone through the stage. We—” Mako began but was cut off when Lin bent the stage floor up and tossed it away. 

“Let’s find the fucking thing.” Lin hopped down to the ground beneath the stage, her boots sunk into the soft mud and massive puddles of rain that had pooled beneath the stage. She bent away the metal of her boot and grimaced as she slammed her foot down on the soupy mud scanning the ground. _Found it._

Mako raised an eyebrow as Lin bent her cables into blades and started to dig. “Uh…I can get a shovel Chief." 

She glared in response, she felt her blade hit something solid and frantically dug the mud away around it. “Get an evidence bag.”

Mako was almost happy for the first time that day. “What is it?”

Lin pulled a long sharp metal cylinder with a razor sharp tip out of the ground. She tried to bend it. “…It’s platinum.” 

“I thought no one could bend platinum.” Mako asked pulling out an evidence bag. 

“No one can.”

I

Korra woke up to a crack of thunder that sounded like an earthquake. She sighed and relaxed wishing she could go back to sleep. Ever since Zaheer, sleeping was a task, a task made much easier with Asami. Though Korra still had nightmares every once in a while. She felt Asami’s arms around her and relaxed a little. She could feel Asami’s rhythmic breathing against her back as she watched the flashes of lightning out their window. She thought back to earlier that night, _‘I love you’_ a simple exchange but one that made Korra’s whole day brighten. She was never the one to admit things verbally, but something felt right about admitting that Asami’s love was reciprocated. Korra thought back to their trip to the Spirit World, where they first admitted something more than friendship was happening between them. Her heart was pounding when Asami took her hand and looked at her. The first touch of Asami's lips to hers was absolutely electrifying. Then the uncertainty hit them, of what they were doing and whether they should tell her friends. Korea was surprised no one had noticed yet. Tenzin had barely raised an eyebrow at her moving to the estate. Asami had told her Mako must have seen her glider in Asami’s room but if he had he hadn’t mentioned it. Or he simply hadn’t connected the dots. _I can’t wait to see the look on his face_. She and Asami had considered telling Mako, however they both agreed Bolin would be the most understanding. However he was in Zaofu with Opal almost permanently. Asami was disappointed to hear that Korra’s parents were very strictly traditional. Tenzin didn’t really need to know and Jinora was off patrolling with Kai. She snorted quietly to herself. _Patrolling, Tenzin has no idea…_ Though Lin was most likely to shrug her shoulders and roll her eyes at them, they hadn’t told her for the same reason as Tenzin. Korra liked to think of them as an official couple, but official in secret almost felt like not official at all sometimes. Mako was a safe bet she decided, _once this is all over we should tell him…tell someone_. She smiled at the idea of not having to hide her clothes in “her” room or keep her glider behind the tall lamp in Asami’s room.

“What are you snorting about.” Asami’s sleep drunk voice drifted the short distance to Korra’s ear.

“Just us,” Korra said adjusting to be face to face with her.

Asami smiled and gently stroked Korra’s cheek. “What about us?”

Korra touched her forehead to Asami’s. “I think we should tell people.”

Asami considered, she wanted to stop hiding in the shadows as much as Korra did. However she had to keep in mind the possible backlash because of it. She had worked nonstop to erase the stigma her father had left on Future Industries. She knew some of the more traditional companies that she sourced labor and materials from might frown upon her and Korra. She almost didn’t care, she was the CEO of the second largest industrial and engineering firm in the world. She was slowly closing the gap between Future Industries and Varrick-Moon Global, which she knew had its own fair share of scandals. Asami didn’t think of her relation ship as anywhere near as scandalous as some of Varrick’s escapades, but the press could print anything. _How does Varrick survive…necessity._ “Let me reveal Future Industries’ latest invention, then I promise we'll start letting people know.” 

Korra pouted. “I can still move my clothes into this room right?”

Asami smirked. “Of course.”

Korra smiled and rolled back over, she knew Asami would keep her word. Asami’s arms tightened around her, a feeling which she’d grown to love. Korra watched the storm and relaxed, flashes of lightning lit the edges of the estate with an eerie yet beautiful light. Lightning flashed and Korra’s eyes darted to the perimeter wall surrounding the estate. _Calm down…it’s nothing, just shadows_. Lightning flashed again and she saw a lithe figure moving across the ground. “Asami…” Korra called. Asami rolled over in protest as lightning flashed again and the lithe figure stopped. “ASAMI GET DOWN!” Korra yelled and shoved Asami off the bed following her over and onto the ground. As the pair hit the ground the window exploded sending shards of wood and glass flying across the room.

I

Kya shot up in her bed going from comatose to adrenaline rushing through her veins. That doesn’t sound like lightning. She knew it wasn't when she heard to distinct cracks and another explosion. “Lin!” The comatose shape lying next to Kya mumbled something and turned over. “Dammit Lin wake up!” 

Lin sat up. “What?”

Kya leapt off the bed and flung the balcony doors open, the rain poured inside the room as she scanned the yard. Lightning illuminated the grounds like a strobe light for only a moment. “There! Combustion bender!” She yelled and leapt out of the window. 

"SHIT!" Lin yelled adrenaline racing through her veins and her training kicking in. With a quick series of motions she bent her armor on from across the room and fired her cables out the window using them to sling shot herself outside. The fierce rain hit her before she even touched the ground.

  
Kya bent the rain water into ice blades and sprinted towards the attacker. The yard had lost of tall shrubs and greenery, which made good cover but wouldn’t withstand half a blast from the combustion bender. She swirled her arms and brought as much of the rain in as she could before freezing it and sending it all slicing outwards. Most of the bushes and shrubs instantly fell in half. “Lin! Over there!”

  
Lin knew Kya was not being over aggressive, combustion benders were nothing to play with. She bent massive chunks of earth up and whipped them towards the dark figure that Kya had pointed out. Two distinct claps and the boulders exploded. “I’m going to get Asami!”

  
“Okay!” Kya shouted, she considered closing the distance between her and the combustion bender. Except with Lin moving to Asami she needed to draw the bender’s fire as much as she could. She froze the rain above the bender and sent it shooting down in painful ice spears. Before she could shift her aim the bender had rolled away and fired. Immediately she brought the rain around her together as a shield. The explosion would’ve killed her, instead the rain and heat from the explosion cloaked the whole yard in steam. 

  
Lin had closed the distance between her and Asami’s room on her cables, the wall outside wall was no longer there. She leapt inside and found the room full off what used to be the exterior wall and bits of furniture. “Asami?” She called to no avail. Asami’s bed was thrown against the wall, shielded by a pile of rubble. Lin glanced back outside and could see Kya holding her own against the combustion bender. Fearing the worst she fired her cables into the wooden bed frame and pulled it backwards away from the wall.

I

Korra’s chest throbbed and her ears rang. _What just happened?_ She tried to move but couldn’t, _are my eyes open?_ She blinked. “Asami!” She called out, her voice muffled against the ringing in her ears. She felt around and felt a wall behind her and a soft mattress in front of her. _Dammit_. She tried to shift the bed from against her but the ancient bed frame kept it in place. “Asami!” Korra yelled, suddenly the bed shifted off her and fell to the ground revealing a destroyed room and battle being fought in the yard. She barely registered Lin’s presence before pulling her glider from the rubble and launching herself into the sky.

_What the flameo was she doing in here?_ Lin was brought out of her thoughts by another explosion and a cry from Kya. _Oh no._ She yanked the bed frame free of the rubble and saw Asami. She slid to a crouch beside her and instinctively checked for a pulse. _Unconscious…but otherwise alive_. Lin turned without a second thought and flung herself out of the gaping hole in the wall. Kya was holding the bender’s attention while Korra provided air support. if she could stay unnoticed she might be able to do some damage. Lin kept low using what was left of the bushes for concealment. She watched as Kya edged closer to the bender, freezing the rain in thick sheets for cover. Lin waited for the two claps signaling the bender’s fire and darted to the next bush. She’d only dealt with one combustion bender before, but she knew their weaknesses. If she could land a blow to the forehead or even better wrap something around the bender’s head she’d have him beat. She peeked from behind cover, the only thing she could see of her enemy through the dark rain was a lithe but tall body. Lin flinched as she heard the two claps. Kya reacted but too slow, the water didn’t freeze in time. Half the explosion detonated on Kya’s side of the shield sending her flying. _Damn!_ Lin broke cover and fired her cables as whips aiming for the head. Her heart dropped as the bender rolled out of the way and fired at her. 

I

  
Korra watched as Kya went flying like a rag doll, she banked her glider into a larger circle above the bender. _LIN!_ She watched as the metal bender flung her cables towards the bender. _Damn it!_ Korra shot fire from her feet pushing her faster through the air, and brought her glider into a dive. _This is gonna hurt_ She crashed into the bender glider first, body second. Still woozy from smashing herself into her target she stood. The bender shot to his feet and fired, she countered by bending the earth beneath his feet sending the explosion into the sky. Korra rolled to flank, but the bender was faster and had already fired. She was blasted backwards into the bushes hitting the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of her. Korra struggled to her feet, the ground itself felt like it was shaking, she shook her head trying to regain her senses but the ground continued to shake. _What the fuck?_ Korra looked towards the house as a huge mecha suit sprinted towards the combustion bender. The bender fired but the mecha suit dodged and rolled closing the distance. The bender tried to fire again but the mecha suits thick metal leg came crashing into his torso. Korra winced as the metal on body sound echoed across the yard. The bender went flying and landed with a thud in the grass. Instinctively Korra bent the earth around him trapping him and bent some rain around his forehead freezing it into place. She ran over to the bender but could tell by the awkward angle his neck was bent she wouldn’t get any information from him. The giant mecha suit came thudding up behind her. “Do you just keep those hanging around?”

  
Asami lifted the canopy surrounding her helmet on the suit. “I like to do some light yard work now and then.” 

Korra laughed. “Did you borrow that one from Mako?” 

Lin came limping over to them with Kya hanging on her shoulders. “We just got attacked in the middle of the night and you two are giggling like school girls. What is so funny.”

“Are you two okay?” Asami climbed out of the mecha suit. 

Kya grunted. “Fine just a little banged up.” 

Lin shrugged through the rain in agreement. “Where did this asshole come from?” She looked at the clearly dead bender surrounded by a pile of earth. He looked like an average Republic City citizen, mid twenties with a bald head and beard. The only thing that stood out was he was dressed in all black and a menacing eye tattooed on his forehead. 

“I don’t know, I…” Korra wondered how to save herself from saying the truth. “Me and Asami” 

“Korra and I were in my room.” Asami stated confidently, _They’re the least of our worries._ She placed her arm around Korra. “She spotted him in the yard and he opened fire.” 

_What were you two…oh._ Lin looked at Kya with her eyebrows raised. “So you two took cover and then we stepped in?” Lin watched as the looks on the newly discovered couple went from apprehensive to relieved.

  
“Sounds right.” Korra agreed mentally exhaling. _…wait did they already know?_

Lin walked over to their attacker knowing a corpse when she saw one, she bent away the earth and let their attacker slump on the ground. Crouching down and ignoring the rain she riffled through the corpse’s pockets.

  
Korra looked over at Asami who had her hand over her mouth realizing she’d done more than incapacitate their attacker. She gave a cautious glance to Kya and realized it didn’t matter. She took Asami’s hand in hers trying to comfort her. “Anything?” She asked Lin.

  
Lin sighed. “Nothing but trouble.” She frowned as she examined a small metal disc she’d pulled from the attackers pocket and handed it to Korra.

  
Korra flipped it over in her hands and her heart slammed to a halt. The metallic disc was a Pai sho tile, a lotus tile, only this one was painted red. No…


	3. Working late

Chapter 2: Working late

Korra sat down at the kitchen table, the Sato estate was well equipped but built by an eccentric engineer with an engineer daughter, leaving the kitchen as an after thought. It was one of her favorite parts of the estate. The bare essentials, a large stove, oven, fridge and little cabinetry reminded her of home. Usually Asami and her would make tea and breakfast early in the morning before Lin and Kya made their way down. Lin's house had been destroyed in Kuvira's invasion, Asami practically begged her to stay at the estate. Lin was reluctant to impose but grateful to accept the invitation, Kya helped convince her somehow. Kya usually stayed at the Air temple; However when she decided to stay in Republic city for an extended period of time, she wanted space from the spartan surroundings of the temple. There was plenty of room in the estate ever since Mako's family had left for Ba Sing Se and left it very empty. Unbeknownst to the younger couple, the four of them had been occupying two rooms more often than not. Korra flinched as the tea pot began to whistle, she hauled herself out of her chair to get it. She was keenly aware of the new bruises resulting from last nights battle. Pouring herself a cup of tea she sat back down at the table and sighed as she pulled lotus tile out of her robe pocket and let it fall onto the table, flipping in the air as it did. The Red Lotus, a subtle name for a terrorist group that had nearly ended Korra and the Avatar cycle. She had spent months recovering wishing that they had succeeded in ending her. _Zaheer must know who is left..._ She thought about the imprisoned leader, who was imprisoned in body alone. Zaheer was easily capable of leading the Red Lotus from the spirit world. Korra jumped as Lin barged through the door in a similar robe that made Korra think the Sato's had ordered dozens. "Morning Lin,"

Lin half nodded in response as she shuffled like a zombie across the kitchen to the fridge. She shrugged at the contents and decided to skip breakfast. "Is that tea still warm?"

Korra nodded as she drank from her cup. "So I've been thinking."

Lin smirked. "Well that can't be good.

Korra frowned. "You have a rogues' gallery at the station right?"

Lin nodded as she tested the tea, she made a face and pulled a flask from her robe. "You want to use it to find a name for our attacker."

Korra's eyebrows raised as Lin finished pouring her preferred whisky into her tea. "Uh-yeah, I mean he was a combustion bender, there should only be a few of those right?"

She smiled in anticipation of her improved tea. "The chances are that he's not from around here Korra so he wouldn't be in our rogues' gallery" Lin sipped her tea. "We'd be better off going straight to Zaheer."

Korra looked down into her tea, she'd visited Zaheer once before and was not keen to make it a habit. "I'd rather keep that as a last resort…"

Lin nodded understandingly, _even if he was locked up he could still be very dangerous. And getting authorization to see one of the world's most dangerous terrorists would take hours_. She gulped down the last of her tea. "Well, I supposed checking the gallery couldn't hurt, it seems odd though." Lin traced the rim of her tea cup thinking. "The Red Lotus fails at killing you with four of the most dangerous benders in the world. Then they send one combustion bender and expect a result?"

Korra shrugged, it was unlike the Red Lotus to underestimate anything. "Maybe they just didn't expect the four of us, if I hadn't been awake he probably would've succeeded."

Lin nodded. "If you want to check the rogues' gallery we can leave after we get ready. And you can see what Mako and I found at the crime scene."

I

Asami rolled over in bed to see Korra quickly assembling her usual water tribe garb. "Where are you off to?"

"To check on a few leads with Lin down at the station." Korra said while pulling on her armband. "Are you going to go into the office today?"

Asami sighed, _I don't have a choice,_ "Yes, I've got meetings and a prototype to test, let me know if you find anything." Asami pulled the pillow over her head shielding her eyes from the daylight. She heard Korra's footsteps cross the room towards the bed.

"Love you." Korra said, pulling the pillow from Asami's face and smoothing her hair.

Asami smiled as Korra blocked the sunlight coming in and leaned down to kiss her. The kiss made Asami wish she wasn't a CEO and could just stay with Korra for the day. "Love you to." Asami watched as Korra left the room, before reluctantly rolling out of bed and starting to get dressed. She considered last nights events, her improved mecha-suit had performed well. The main drawback of the previous models was a lack of agility and speed, better hydraulics and pilot input had improved those greatly. Her mind replayed the sound of the combustion bender crumpling against the metal leg of the suit. _He was trying to kill Korra, he deserved it,_ she thought as she tried to come to terms with killing the man. _He tried to kill Korra, he deserved it._ She thought the mantra sounded a little sinister but it was true.

She quickly did her make up and headed to the kitchen to make herself breakfast. The maid staff was mainly for cleaning and upkeep, most jobs that one person could manage Asami preferred left to her. She could smell something cooking before she entered the kitchen and whatever it was it made Asami's stomach growl. She pushed the door open and saw Kya moving like a water bender, flowing quickly between the fridge, counter, and stove. "What are you making?"

"Ah! Asami, just in time, do you like omelettes?" Kya said as if she would take no for an answer.

Asami was always happy to sample Kya's cooking. While her airbender lineage was vegetarian, her culinary skills extended far beyond garden sourced meals. "Absolutely!" She answered and sat down on a stool across from the stove. "So Lin and Korra left already, do you have anywhere to be?"

Kya shrugged and slid various sliced veggies into the cooking omelette. "You know me, I try to keep my obligations to a minimum. How about you ?"

Asami blew a tuft of hair off her forehead as she thought about the work she would have to do. "Future industries is still having trouble protecting the supply lines bringing building materials into the city. So I've got to work with our foremen and the Air Nomad liaison to better secure them. Then I have a meeting with the city planners and my architects, to clear up some confusion as to which buildings should go where. Honestly you'd think they could decide that themselves. After lunch I've got a meeting with Varrick and Zhu Li, they've agreed to pool resources to build more of the NRC. Also I've got to test our new prototype-" Asami was talking so quickly that she didn't notice Kya's raised eyebrows. "Sorry, work has been really stressful lately."

"Sounds like it," Kya flipped the finished omelette on to a plate and handed it to Asami. "Plus last night and Raiko, you and Korra never can catch a break." Kya began work on her own omelette.

Asami could hardly believe how good the omelette tasted. "I want to thank you, for helping out last night."

Kya smiled. "I couldn't just stand by," Kya answered truthfully, even though she had new bruises to show for it, it felt good to be in a fight again. While her father had tried to get her to be the non-violent type, she thought that violence was more often than not a good answer. She flipped her omelette and remembered Korra holding Asami's hand. "So, how long have you and Korra been together?"

Asami almost choked on a bite of her omelette; After months of secrecy it sounded weird for someone to mention their relationship so nonchalantly. "Officially? Since Varrick's wedding. We kept in touch during her downtime in the south and realized there was...something more between us."

Kya smiled as she pulled up a stool across from Asami. "I'm not sure what it is about weddings," Kya said remembering fondly. "I first kissed Lin at Tezin and Pema's wedding."

Asami's jaw dropped. "You and Lin are together?"

"Well...its complicated," Kya said with a hint of sadness. "We were at first, then I wanted to go and explore the world more and she had to stay here with the police."

"That must have been hard." Asami offered, she almost did not know how to react to the news. She was however glad to have this in common with anyone. She'd spent many months of Korra's recovery thinking she was crazy for feeling the way she did.

Kya finished another bite. "It was, I don't really regret it though, we both went our separate ways and had a blast. We reconnected eventually, living in Republic City again brought us back together, or whatever we are now."

"I always wondered what finally made Lin come live here, it's great to know Korra and I aren't the only ones." She smiled and began to clear her plate.

"Thank you for breakfast."

"Off to rebuild the city?"

Asami smirked. "I just make sure the whole operation doesn't fall apart."

I

Mako slumped into his desk chair, the dawn's light casting a shadow of the tired detective onto his desk. He had slowly watched the usual officers and detectives trickle out and go home, he'd stayed behind in the cluttered office space trying to get anywhere. He had been up all night thinking about the projectile they'd found, to his knowledge no one could bend platinum. _Not even Toph Beifong, so far the only leave we have is a dead end, and I'm not any closer to finding Raiko's assassin._ Mako clenched his fists and slammed them on the desk, the job was slowly breaking him. He longed for the days when he was just a rookie, before he'd been a bodyguard, it all seemed so simple then.

He was almost twenty three and felt like thirty three, the long nights were getting longer and sleeping under his desk was taking its toll. _Raiko's been dead for twenty four hours, I've been up for forty eight, and I've got zero leads_. He stood up and threw his chair, turned around and blasted it with fire. "Damn it!"

"Mako!" Lin screamed.

Mako froze. _shit!_ "Cheif! Uh…"

"I got it," Korra said, quickly bending water from a drinking fountain to put out the burning chair. Lin looked around the thankfully deserted office, outbursts like this usually meant suspension. But no one was around, and he had been through a lot. "Damn it Mako! What the flameo were you thinking?" She got in his face. "The station somehow doesn't get leveled during the invasion and you try to burn it down!"

"Chief I can…" Mako stumbled for words, he kept backing up but Lin kept stepping forward yelling in his face. "Do that again and I swear on my mother's grave I will fire you! Burn anything in this station again and I will burn you!" Lin yelled.

_Wait...Toph isn't dead._ Korra made a face, she wanted to help Mako but knew better than to get in between Lin and the target of her wrath. "Lin, it's ok, the fire is out." She offered half heartedly hoping Lin would understand.

Lin's fury ran out of juice, she didn't really want to berate Mako, but she did have to make sure he did not do something stupid again. Especially not in front of witnesses, she'd go about on her daily business and throw him a bone later in the day so he wasn't too destroyed. She unclenched her jaw. "Get some sleep. You look like ass."

Korra's eyebrow raised, she did not know what was stranger Mako losing his cool or Lin's euphemisms. "Sorry, she had a bit of a rough night." She whispered as Lin stomped across the office. _Okay...no smart response? No ultra slick one liner?_ Korra hid her worries. "When are you going to come out on the town again with us all? Team Avatar needs to get together for some fun again." Mako snapped out of his thousand yard stare. "Huh?"

"Fun? You, Bolin and opal, Me and Asami, ." Korra's brain ground to a halt hoping she didn't give away anything.

"Oh, I dunno…" Mako said barely interested, he grabbed another chair and slumped down onto it. "You should go, I need to concentrate."

_Maybe something is really wrong..._ Korra thought as she navigated the desks and stacks of paper strewn about to the door Lin had barged through. "Lin?"

"In here,"

Korra walked through the doorway, the rogues' gallery was in what looked like a renovated broom closet. "This is not what I expected."

"We had to move a lot of things around since the east wing took part of a blast from Kuvira's cannon." Lin sifted through a filing cabinet full of different binders. "Here are all the known combustion benders." She said handing Korra a binder that was much thinner than the rest.

"I knew it was rare but sheesh." Korra leaned against the wall and started flipping through the pages full of information and pictures of the rarest of benders. She frowned as she saw a familiar face, she tore the page out and incinerated it.

"I just yelled at Mako for that." Lin sighed.

"You don't need her on file anymore anyways." Korra continued to search. "Is there anyway you can give Mako a day off? He seems really stressed."

"Wouldn't you be?" Lin said, then she realized Korra had been unconscious at the time of Raiko's actual death. "The President bled out in his arms Korra."

Korra's heart panged, another victim of her failure. "I had no idea…"

"I know you view it as your fault, but Mako is taking it as his." Lin said, pulling a flask from her armor as she leaned one of the many filing cabinets. Korra reached the end of the binder, she knew it was a long shot but she had been hoping for a miracle.

"Well there goes that, we're back to square one." She said, a little defeated.

"Well, we have one more bit of evidence." Lin said motioning for Korra to follow her back out into the main office. "Mako do you still have the projectile?" She asked as if she hadn't been berating him a few moments ago.

Mako jerked awake, "I got it chief," he said patting down his pockets frantically for the chunk of platinum. He pulled out the evidence baggy, and suddenly he had a brainwave, _If she can't bend it no one can._ "Think fast!"

Korra looked up from the book of combustion benders just in time to raise her guard and bent the projectile to a stop in front of her. "Is this it?"

She said bending the projectile encased in the baggy into her hands. She looked at Lin whose jaw was dropped. "What?"

"That's a chunk of platinum." Mako said equally astounded. Korra inspected the projectile through the bag. _I'm good but not that good_. "It felt like I was bending water."

"Give me that," Lin said hand already out, she caught it once Korra tossed it to her. She bent her armor away from her feet and stomped the floor. The vibrations mapped the room as well as the projectile. "It's hollow!"

Korra bent the projectile in the air again. "Then there is definitely water in it."

"Mako, fill in the rest of the detectives when they get here, and take the day off." Lin said, her gears were already turning.

"Chief it was just a chair," Mako complained, _finally a break in the case and I get told to take the day off!_

"That's an order Mako, if you want a place to sleep besides the station Asami has room." Lin said before turning to Korra. "I think it's time we visit Zaheer."

I

Asami donned her safety goggles. She was deep in the heart of Future Industries' research and development department, staring down the future. She designed the testing facilities herself years ago, white was the dominating color, everything else was stainless steel or concrete. She looked through the thick safety glass into the test chamber and at her brainchild. The sleek teardrop shaped cylinder of metal looked more like a bomb than anything else. _If something goes wrong then it will be a bomb._ She hit the record button on a large control panel that came out underneath the window in front of her. "This is Asami Sato, the time is eleven hundred, we are about to commence test zero on fire propulsion engine prototype three." Asami paused going over a mental checklist of safety procedures for the tenth time. Ready. "Commencing airflow," She pushed a lever forward on the control panel and a massive fan facing the front of the prototype began to turn, quickly gaining speed. "Test chamber air speed is currently fifty miles an hour and rising." Her idea was going to change the world, her father had invented the plane and she was going to re-invent it. She had seen Korra and other firebenders use fire to boost them through the air, and decided planes could use much the same technique. "Internal airspeed reaching one hundred and fifty miles per hour. Igniting fuel air mix."

Her heart began to race as the air funneled into the inlet of the engine, compressed as it passed the fuel valves and ignited. The engine began to whine as blue flame shot from the back end. "Exhaust heat shielding is coping with increased temperatures, thrust readings are above expected levels." Asami smiled, _it's working!_ "Increasing throttle". The thrust readings began to climb, she smiled as she calculated a theoretical speed that was well above the world record. She gazed at her creation proudly. Her heart stopped. There was the slightest glisten of fuel on the smooth metal exterior of the engine. "Powering down!" She slammed the emergency fuel cut off button and reached for the fan control when the fuel on the outside of the engine caught flame. _Shit!_ She slammed the fan control to off and ran for the fire extinguisher. She sprinted down the hallway to the door, quickly punching in her override code into the secured door of the test chamber and flung it open. Her brainchild was in flames. She sprayed the fire extinguisher and advanced on the flames, only letting out a breath as the flames began to dissipate. She sprayed the last of the contents of the extinguisher and viewed the damage. _Shit_. The fire extinguisher thudded onto the floor. Asami walked back into the control room and slumped into a chair. "Fuel leakage ignited by exhaust flames, damage is...extensive. Test terminated." She stated before slamming her fist down on the record button angrily. _It's going to be a long night_.

I

Mako scanned the crowd, all of them had been searched, all entrances and exits to the park were under control. He quickly took his seat and waited for President Raiko to begin his speech. The day was beginning to heat up causing him to tug at the uncomfortable collar of his dress uniform. He watched President Raiko get up and walk confidently to the podium in the shadow of the statue.

Mako listened for the first few sentences and lost interest, he was in the battle Raiko was romanticizing and found the speech boring. He glanced over to Korra, who was glancing at Asami, _those two are inseparable now a days._ He looked over at Lin who sat like a statue, somehow even in her armor the heat didn't seem to affect her at all. President Raiko finished up and stepped down off the podium.

Asami was up, Mako had gone over the schedule hundreds of times, after Asami's speech Lin was up to talk about the police's role in the New Republic City. "My father…" Mako began to sweat, all the sudden his heart was pounding, Korra moved in a blur charging towards Asami. "NO!" He screamed but couldn't move, he could see the blur of metal punch through Korra and angle downward impacting Raiko in the heart. "NO!" Mako sprang awake and gasped for air. _It's ok! Calm down! Breathe._ Mako fell back onto his pillow grimacing as he felt the cold sweat soaked sheets. He began to breathe normally again and went over the dream in his head. _It felt so real..._ He rolled off the bed. He had opted not to bother the staff of the Sato estate with an unexpected guest. Instead he opted to sleep in one of break rooms on a floor of the police station in the partially destroyed east wing. He threw on his clothes and bolted out the door, quickly he navigated the rubble filled hallway passing oblivious policemen and women. _All I need is some fresh air_. Mako took the stairs two at a time and was outside on the city streets in no time. Practically collapsing on the staircase out front of the station he took in a deep breath. _It was just a dream Mako, just like the ones about mom and dad. You're fine_.

He scanned the sidewalks nervously, just the usual taxis, Sato mobiles, and pedestrians. He exhaled. _There was nothing you could have done, Korra dove in front of Raiko and it went right through her...wait no._ _She pushed Asami out of the way_. He flinched as a rubber ball impacted his stomach. "Sorry officer!" He clutched the ball as a kid dressed in earth empire clothes trotted up to him. "Here." He tossed the ball back to its owner. He watched the kid to make sure he safely crossed the street and zoned out again. _Korra pushed Asami out of the way? Why? Raiko was the target...right? The projectile went right through her...then went down?_ There was something he was missing, he could feel it. He replayed the memory of his dream, the blur of metal shot through Korra, then angled downward. _But why?_ He looked across the street for the kid with the ball. The kid chucked it at the concrete sidewalk and it bounced back to him. He threw it again but the angle was off and the ball jumped forward away from him. Mako's gears began to turn. _It didn't go straight through Korra, it hit something, a bone or something? That's what made it go downward!_ It suddenly clicked. _If it angled downward and hit Raiko, he was never the target! Asami was!_ "Shit!" Mako spun around and charged up the stairs into the police station.

I

Lin up shifted and put her foot down on the gas pedal, slingshotting her Sato mobile around the sharp curve of the canyon road. She remembered the first police cruiser she'd driven, boxy and slow, she could almost run faster than it. That was back then, and while old age had taken its toll on her she had watched the Sato mobiles get faster and sleeker. She had ordered one from Asami personally. While other things gave her little pleasure, something about flooring the sleek convertible down the road and expertly negotiating the corners brought her immense enjoyment. She checked her mirrors and glanced over at her passenger. "If you're going to puke, I can pull over."

Korra grimaced and yelled over the wind. "Can't you slow down?" Normally she'd be enjoying the ride, but the canyon road was perched on a cliffs edge. "What's the speed limit?"

Lin practically cackled, "Whatever I want it to be." she gassed the car again and held on. The drive to Zaheer's prison was a long one, but the view from the mountains was incredible. The sun was beginning to set, from the mountains the old Republic City looked like it did decades ago with most of the skyscrapers missing from the skyline. The spirit portal was shaded with the orange of the falling sun in Lin's rear view mirror, she almost was relaxed. She would've been completely relaxed if instead of Korra, Kya was her passenger, and instead of on her way to visit a terrorist, she was on vacation.

She wondered what trouble Kya stirred up at the Sato estate while she had been at work. She envied Korra and Asami. They both had been through more than most of her officers, yet they were still young, they had yet to watch themselves age and see friends face the enemy they could never defeat. If she could go back to when she was young and do one thing different, her relationship with Kya is what she would change. She down shifted and slowed so the wind wasn't so loud. "What I'm about to say, does not leave this car."

Korra looked at Lin worried she was about to confess to being a mass murderer. "Uh...okay?"

Lin was glad she was not a mother, wording a life lesson was not her strong suit, she realized nothing motherly was. "You know that me and Tenzin used to be together right?"

"Of course." Korra answered still wondering what Lin was talking about.

"We practically grew up together, my mother and Anng worked together so often that Kya, Bumi, Tenzin and I were practically family." Lin wondered where to go next with her first motherly advice. She changed gears and sped around another curve. "When Tenzin and I broke up, I was...heartbroken...enraged but heartbroken."

Korra's mind struggled with the idea of emotionally vacant Lin being heartbroken. "Okay…"

"Kya stopped me from sinking Air Temple Island into the bay." Lin recalled her rampage fondly.

"Anyway, she helped me get over Tenzin, we were inseparable, until she went off to live in a sand bender commune."

Korra smirked, Kya was a free spirit that was for sure. "I'm still waiting for the part that can't leave this car."

Lin rolled her eyes and shifted. "Well we tried to keep in contact but eventually work got in the way, next time I saw her was at Tenzin and Pema's wedding." Lin thumbed the wood steering wheel remembering painful memories. "They looked so happy together. I had wandered off to sulk and drink some more, when Kya found me." Korra thought warmly of Varrick's wedding, and then it clicked. "Wait…"

"She kissed me for the first time there." Lin down shifted for the curve and glanced over at Korra's shocked face. "Are you trying to catch flies?"

"You and Kya are together!" Korra practically screamed.

Lin winced, _are we?_ She sighed. "We were...for a little while after Tenzin's wedding, and then she wanted to explore the world more…" Lin said with a slight bitterness. "I noticed you and Asami, it reminds me a lot of how me and Kya were when we were younger." She up shifted for the straight away. "And I don't want you to make the same mistake I did." She looked over at Korra whose face was still showing shock. "I know you two probably are worried and unsure of what together you are. But whatever you two decide to be, don't let go of it." Korra was still processing Kya and Lin, but the advice struck a chord.

"Thank you, we honestly thought we might be the only ones."

"You haven't heard a lot about the parties the sand benders throw then." Lin smirked, the radio in the car crackled to life.

"Chief Beifong, HQ over." Lin picked up the hand mic and pushed the talk button in.

"HQ, Beifong over."

"Chief Beifong, we've got Detective Mako here for-"

"Give me that!" Mako came over the radio. "Chief, Asami was the target not the President!"

Korra's blood ran cold. "What?"

"Mako, are you sure?" Lin asked hoping he was mistaken.

"Positive Chief, the path of the projectile changed when it hit Korra." Mako's staticky voice came over the radio.

"Roger that, get a protection detail over to Future Industries HQ immediately." Lin ordered and put down the hand mic. "Hold on." Lin slowed and ripped the emergency brake, whipping the tail end of the car around, she stomped on the gas.

"Lin the combustion bender was after her not me!" Korra said, she was beginning to panic.

"I know kid, don't worry, we'll get to her." Lin up shifted and floored it around a hairpin curve.

I

Asami laid underneath her prototype, the fire had destroyed most of the fuel lines, thankfully it had not fed back into the tank. She had canceled the last meetings of the day and began tearing the engine apart to replace the lines and solve the problem. She had been at it for hours, and desperately needed some tea. She fitted a section of line and began to tighten the nut securing the section to the next line in chain. She tried to placed her wrench on the fitting _13 not 12_. "Damn it." She craned her neck underneath the engine, she could just see the wrench she needed by her feet. She cursed herself and tried to nudge the wrench closer with her feet. The wrench slid closer. She usually would have a lab technician help her, however most of the city was still in shock over the President's death. She had personally told her employees to leave an hour early to grieve or take care of family business. She nudged the wrench again with her heel sending it sliding towards her hand.

_Just out of reach_ , She rolled her eyes and slid her creeper out from underneath the gigantic engine and stood up to stretch. She still had several hours of work to go, when she was a teenager she would've been able to work nonstop through the night. Cracking her back she sauntered over to the work bench she had brought in to the test chamber. She opened her tool chest and pulled out a thermos and lunch box. She poured her cup of tea and toasted her brainchild, _just a few more tests and I can reveal you to the world_. Kya was kind enough to stop by mid-day to drop off a sandwich.

For a free spirit Kya was very at home in Republic City, and seemed to enjoy being so close to friends and family. She unwrapped the sandwich and took a greedy bite of it, delicious food must be a water bender thing. She checked her watch, the sun would be setting momentarily, she debated calling Korra to tell her she'd be working late. _Very late._ Her ears perked up, _footsteps?_ The door to the test chamber opened and four men stepped through. "I told everyone to go-" Asami didn't know all her employees but she knew that these weren't any of hers.

The four men stood facing her in silence, _fire bender, earth bender, water bender...and?_ She divided them up based on their clothing. "What do you want."

"Miss Sato, you've escaped our organization one too many times." The fire bender said. Asami fought panic rising in her chest. "You're part of the Red Lotus? I thought they were extinct." Asami baited them to stall for time. The lead fire bender, a bald and serious man she did not want to take head on, the earth and water bender she didn't want to either. Not in the enclosed spaced of the test chamber, she wouldn't stand a chance. _Think Asami think!_ She scanned the room, and eyed the fire alarm, the test chambers were rigged with a carbon dioxide suppression system, if she had used it on the prototype fire it would've been catastrophic.

However prototype wasn't running now, and Asami needed an exit. _If I can get to the respirator beneath the alarm_ I can make a run for it. "We are what is left of the Red Lotus, and we are here to finish where they left off." The fire bender said menacingly, he fired. Asami dodged and chucked her thermos at the fire alarm button, she dove on to her creeper and slid beneath the prototype, the thermos impacted and the room was instantly flooded with carbon dioxide. Asami blindly felt for the respirator and pushed it to her face. She took a deep breath of air and bolted for the door. She could hear the coughing of the Red Lotus members as she stumbled out into the hallway. Without thinking she sealed the door behind her.

Inside the test chamber the leader was coughing uncontrollably. "Zao! Rip the door!" He managed to yell between coughs.

Asami's eyes went wide, she bolted down the long white corridor away from the test chamber. She heard the door fly across the hallway and smash into the opposite wall. _Weapons. Weapons testing should be the next few chambers down. The armory the next one over._ She turned a corner just in time to miss being hit by another door that the earth bender had ripped off its hinges.

"We need backup!"

She heard one of the benders yell, she turned her head to peek and instantly ducked as a barrage of ice sailed down the hallway at her. Her side exploded in pain. _Shit_. She fought to not fall to the ground in excruciating pain. _The Armory!_ She punched in her code and shot through the door slamming it behind her, the large metal door sealed with a reassuring thunk. The armory's door was heavier for obvious reasons, and that bought her precious time. She scanned the room, most of the big weapons were locked up.

The armory was lined with heavy cages housing different weapons and ammunition. Asami personally had a cage of her own however. She vaulted one of the many workbenches and punched in the code to her cage. It opened as her attackers began to pound on the door, She pulled her electro gauntlets on and fired them up with a menacing electric crackle.

She grabbed a satchel full of her favorite Future Industries weapons, developed by Future Industries for the Kyoshi warrior group in the city. They called them blinders, an apt name given their ability to temporarily blind and deafen people. She looked at the metal door, it began to glow orange and slowly began to melt. She pulled the pin from one of the blinders, _five...four...three,_ the door buckled and was bent out of the way. She chucked the blinder and took cover. The explosion was deafening even for her, she catapulted over a workbench and flung herself out the door. Her gloves crackled as she slapped the lead fire bender square on the head.

She moved to dodge the blind water strike by the water bender. Rolling she grabbed hold of his ankles and fired the gloves. A shrill scream later he fell to the ground. She jumped back, the earth bender had recovered from the blinder, though his eyes were red and his ears were bleeding. She charged. He bent a chunk of concrete from the floor upwards at her. Asami was too fast, she rocketed past it, and shot her foot up into the earth benders groin. He doubled over and she smashed the gauntlets against his ears and fired. Asami observed the carnage with her heart still racing, _one, two, three...where?_ She brought up her guard again and slowly began to move down the corridor back to the test chamber hallway.

The fourth attacker was missing, as the adrenaline began to fade she realized the blinder had set off the security alarm. The loud klaxon siren echoed in the hallway, she knew that the police response time was typically twenty minutes, _twenty minutes, before the invasion anyways_. She quickly rounded the corner into the test chamber hallway with a blinder ready. The fourth assailant stood quietly in the hallway staring her down. She chucked a blinder. Her eyes went wide as the attacker bent a gust of air sending the blinder towards her again. She shielded her eyes as it exploded, the pain and ringing in her ears was instantaneous. She faced the bender again who had closed the distance, she struck out with her electro gauntlet still half dazed from the explosion. The bender easily dodge and spun his arms in a circle and began to bend the air out of Asami's lungs. She tried to fight it but the air was escaping, falling to her knees she began to choke.

Her assailant looked down at her and smiled. _Fuck you!_ She pulled the pin from a blinder and lashed out with it connecting with her assailant's stomach. It exploded, and her vision blurred. Air filled her lungs once more and slowly she began to regain her vision. Her hand throbbed in pain, the gauntlet had taken most of the damage but blood was seeping out of it. Glancing over at her former assailant, she noted that blinders were lethal given the right circumstances. She limped down the hallway the pain in her side from the water bender's ice growing.

The elevator at the end of the hallway dinged and Asami's heart exploded with adrenaline lessening her pain. _I guess they're back up_. Counting quickly as they rushed out of the elevator she realized there was too many to take on her own. She turned and ran, but only got a few feet before the floor was bent out from under her. She fell downwards in a hail of debris and dust, she was now on the next floor down. Asami pulled herself out from the rubble and began to run again. The floor beneath the test chambers was strictly meant for the research and development, as a result instead of test chambers there were offices. She reached an intersection in the hallway and barged through a door labeled: Supply Closet. She slammed the door shut behind her and collapsed against it, leaving a small trail of blood as she did.

The klaxon alarm was still going, _maybe the police will get here in time?_ Asami thought about it, barring a miracle they had no idea the Red Lotus were after her. There was no way they'd be there in time, she would have to fight. Asami stood up painfully and looked around the closet for a circuit breaker. She shoved aside a mop and bucket and tore open the panel. _Lights…lights...ah_. She flicked the circuit breaker and the closet and the rest of the floor went dark. _Now they'll be disoriented_. _Take them out one by one Asami, you can do this._ She opened the closet door with her good hand and entered the hallway. She could hear them, they were taking their time searching each office, they knew that she was as good as trapped.

She opened the door to the closest office and purposely left the door ajar. In the dark it was hard to tell but the office was a little nest of cubicles and desks. She waited by the door, gauntlet at the ready. "Hey I think I found something!" She waited till the attacker walked through the door and slammed her gauntlet against his neck, letting a generous dose of current bring him to the ground. She flung herself into the hallway, she ran a few doors down and opened the door. _One down...how many of them were there?_ She heard footsteps and hid behind the door hoping to repeat the process. Another attacker walked through the doorway and she lashed out with the gauntlet. Her would be attacker crumpled to the ground with a shrill cry. She stepped out into the hallway and could just make out a group of Red Lotus members. She pulled the pin of a blinder with her teeth and threw it at them. It exploded and she could hear them moan and yell in pain. Another group rounded the corner, this time a fire bender lit the way. She ducked as a fireball roared overhead, quickly she ran into an office. This time the office was completely empty and offered no cover. _Shit!_

She waited next to the door. The wall behind her erupted sending her flying. An earth bender had bent the wall away. She stumbled to her feet and lashed out at the first Red Lotus member to advance. She caught him but lost contact before she could jolt him. The Lotus member lashed out with a kick and a boulder, she dodged, ducked, and countered. Sliding beneath the horse stanced Lotus member electrifying him. She spun to her feet. The Lotus members she'd used the blinder on had recovered and flooded in through the hole in the wall. Many of them firebenders who illuminated the mob in an eerie red glow. Asami knew there was way too many of them as the fire alarm began to sound, _first they attack me and then they light my building on fire!_ _This would be a great time for the police to show._..she stood her ground, the Lotus members did not advance.

Water began to pour down on them from the sprinklers. "Well?" She yelled at them. "Let's see what you've got!" She fired up her electro gauntlet. They stood still for a second. Her heart was pounding with adrenaline drowned out the pain in her hand and side. For a second, she wondered if she might make it out of this alive, and the next second a bender charged. _Earth bender_. She balanced on the balls of her feet. The earth bender brought a chunk of the wall shooting towards her. She dove towards him and rolled, springing to her feet she shot her good gauntlet into his stomach. She zapped him and jumped back. The next bender charged. _Fire!_ She weaved around a blast of fire, the heat making her skin crawl. She jumped in the air as the bender fired low. She grabbed his shoulder mid air and fired her gauntlet. She felt like she was hit by a truck and went flying to the ground. An earthbender had got a shot in. She jumped to her feet, and immediately fell down to her knees. She looked up and caught a boot to the face and collapsed into the pooling water. She looked up as the benders began to surround her. She could barely keep her eyes open, the pain in her hand and side now screamed at her as she tasted blood. Asami looked down at her hands, her reflection barely visible in the water. She spat blood out of her mouth and looked up at the advancing group of Red Lotus members. Her brain screamed at her, and it clicked. _I'm taking you all with me_. She raised her hand and crackled the gauntlet before slamming it down into the pool of water surrounding all of them.

I

Korra could see Future Industries tower in the distance, the buildings of the city, merged together in a blur as Lin floored it. If they hurt her. Korra's hand was practically crushing the arm rest, she jumped as Lin's radio crackled to life.

"Chief Beifong, Detective Mako."

Korra lunged for the transceiver before Lin could grab it. "Mako! Do you have Asami?"

"Korra?"

"Mako! Is she alright?" Korra practically yelled into the transceiver.

"We are entering the testing facilities now, her secretary said that's where she is supposed to be." Mako answered awkwardly, he was unsure as to why Korra was on the police radio.

"Hold on." Lin said as the Sato mobile crested a small bridge and caught air and unceremoniously landed on the road. "She'll be alright kiddo." Lin said a little unsure as to how true that was going to be. "One unknown casualty, severe abdominal wounds, fire suppression system was activated in the test chamber. Mrs. Sato was working in." An unknown policeman documented over the radio. Lin snatched the transceiver from Korra. "Any more casualties?"

"Chief I don't know," Mako's voice came over the radio now sounding very worried. "Looks like the floor was bent away. Whoever they were they aren't messing around. Moving to investigate." Mako noted over the radio as per protocol.

"Damn it." Korra slammed her fist into the door, If I had been there! "Sprinkler system was activated, scorch marks on the walls," Mako noted into the radio. "We got a casualty, unknown male, electrocuted." Another police officer noted into the radio. _Atta girl_. Lin's jaw tensed. "Any sign of Asami Sato?"

"Not yet Chief." Mako answered. "Oh shit."

Korra's blood ran cold. _No. No. NO._ "Mako! Is she ok?"

"Mass casualties, at least ten of them." A police officer noted. "Positive ID on Asami Sato! Get me a healer NOW!" Mako yelled over the radio.

Lin ripped the emergency brake as She came up on the other police vehicles surrounding Future Industries tower. "Mako-" Korra ripped the transceiver away. "What floor?"

"Tenth floor." A random police officer answered. Korra leapt from the car and shot herself into the air on a column of earth. Shooting flames from her feet boosted her another three floors. She ripped a hole in the side of the building and catapulted inside. She ran into the hallway and searched for a floor maker. _Eighth floor!_ Without thinking she bent the ceiling away and rocketed up on a burst of flame. Earth bending the next ceiling out of the way She grabbed hold of the tenth floor and pulled herself up. She looked around at a host of alarmed police officers. "Mako!"

"In here!"

Korra sped through the hallway and into the office where Mako's voice came from. Her heart sank, as she had to step over the bodies of Asami's attackers. Mako and a small group of police officers surrounded a body in the center. "Asami!"

"K-Korra?" A small quiet voice choked out.

Korra practically ripped the officers out of the way and fell to her knees next to Asami. _There's so much blood..._ Korra could feel tears sting her eyes. "Asami. You're alive!"

Asami smiled up at her, and winced as a police healer began her work. "Despite their best efforts. Yes." Asami's whole body throbbed in pain.

Mako turned, now that he was sure that his friend was alive, he had work to do. In the back of his head, something else was nagging him. _Korra should be happy, but I don't think I've ever seen her that happy._ He shrugged it off and began searching the bodies. He counted a dozen, Asami was tougher than he thought. "Get a gurney up to floor ten, and somebody shut the damn sprinklers off!" He barked into the radio in a satchel on his side.

Korra bent an orb of water and began to heal Asami with the police healer. "I'm sorry. I should have been here. I could have fought them off…" She apologized, surveying the damage she spotted the mangled electro gauntlet now tinged with dried blood.

Asami smiled, accidentally letting a little bit of blood leak down her chin. "It's ok, Korra you can't be everywhere. I handled them."

Korra looked back at the pile of Red Lotus members, her heart panged, she couldn't stand the idea of Asami being burdened with these deaths. "We'll get you back home, Kya and I will take care of you, don't worry." Korra reassured her and gently bent a cushion of air beneath her as the gurney rolled into the room. Korra gently pulled the electro gauntlet off Asami's good hand and grasped her hand as she was rolled out of the door.

I


	4. Alcohol fueled rage

Varrick was snoring loudly, he was sprawled across the couch in the living room of the Presidential suite in the only hotel left in Republic City. He and Zhu Li were living there and using it as a makeshift headquarters for Varrick Enterprises' share of the building of the NRC. While he complained endlessly about their surroundings, the suite was a palace, and Zhu Li his newly wedded wife ruled all. He was jarred awake as the phone rang loudly in the silent suite, "Zhu Li! Phone!" He rolled over on the couch.

"Get it yourself!" An angry and freshly awakened wife yelled from the bedroom.

Varrick grumbled and blindly felt for the phone on the table next to his couch. "Yes what? Do you have any idea how important sleep is to me!"

Lin wished she could reach through the phone and slap him. "I have some bad news Varrick."

Varrick twirled his mustache, _I hate bad news_ , "First you wake me up, then you bring me bad news?" Varrick asked incredulous.

"What's the news." An exhausted Zhu Li joined in on the other line.

"Asami was attacked,"

Varrick's hand stopped twirling, while he hated bad news he actually felt his heart drop for his friend and business partner. "Oh."

"Is she okay?" Zhu Li asked worried.

"She's...surviving," Lin hoped Asami's scream couldn't be heard over the phone.

"Who attacked her?" Zhu Li asked.

"We suspect its the Red Lotus, or what is left of it." Lin answered. "That's not for public release."

"What's her recovery time looking like? We've got a city to rebuild." Varrick was disheartened by the news but he knew Asami enough to know she'd want to keep the project on track.

"Well that's why I called, she told me to tell you two that Varrick Industries will need to pick up what Future Industries can't get done." Lin explained.

Varrick practically yanked his mustache. "We're already behind schedule! This will set us back months!"

Zhu Li sighed over the line. "We'll make the necessary arrangements, ask her to arrange for her hummingbird workers to be sent over to us for the time being. Thank you for telling us Lin." Zhu Li hung up the phone.

"Even with her hummingbirds we'll be set back months, tell her to heal up quickly and get back to work!" Varrick gave his slightly selfish brand of encouragement.

Lin glared even though he couldn't see it. "I'll make sure to tell her." She said not intending to.

"Well good-"

"Hang up the phone!" Zhu Li yelled.

"I'll hang it up when I like!"

Lin rolled her eyes. "Good bye."

I

"Okay...ready?" Korra asked, she was already dreading the task ahead, the night was still young and they had only just returned to the Sato estate. Asami was brought via gurney to Korra's room, as her own room was still filled with rubble. Kya and Korra had healed as much as they could on the way, but Asami was still grievously injured. Korra held her girlfriend's mangled electro gauntlet in her hand ready to pull off.

Asami clenched her teeth. "Ready."

Korra began to tug gently on the glove, she wished she could bend or cut it off but Asami warned her the power source for the glove was severely damaged. She tugged the glove a bit, Asami flinched and clenched her other hand.

"Just get it off."

Korra grimaced and pulled causing Asami to cry out in pain, the glove was still dripping blood when she finally freed it from Asami's hand. "Okay, all done."

Asami whimpered in pain as tears stung her eyes, she looked down at her mangled hand. Her designing career was going to have to take a sabbatical. She gently laid back down on the pillow her teeth still clenched. "How long?"

Kya turned away from the window to face her wounded friend. "A week at least."

Asami's anger was palpable. "A week?"

"Hands are particularly difficult to heal," Kya bent an orb of water around Asami's hand. "I'm feeling many breaks and tears, without the gauntlet on I doubt you'd still have your fingers."

Korra's heart sank, she didn't know what to say, Asami looked defeated a look Korra wasn't used to seeing her wear. She bent an orb of water from Kya's healing supplies and began to work on Asami's wounded side.

"I can't wait a week, I've got a city to rebuild, I've got a prototype to rebuild, I've got-"

"It'll be okay Asami," Korra tried.

"How can this be okay? It'll set the city back months!"

Kya felt resistance in the water. "Asami, I know you're going to hear this a lot over the next couple of weeks. But you need to stay positive. Healing is a lot like a river, healers can speed up the flow and use water to bring everything inhibiting your healing out. If the river is blocked it won't flow and the wound will take longer to heal." She explained as she bent the orb gently around the broken hand.

_Weeks...she said weeks_. Tears burned in Asami's eyes. Her composure was breaking, the stress of rebuilding her city and nearly dying was fracturing it. _Don't break down. Don't break down. You're stronger than this._ She still felt like she was going to collapse. "Please leave…"

"Asami…" Korra practically whispered.

Kya's orb flickered and stopped glowing. "Korra, let's leave her be for now." She walked around the bed and guided Korra out of the room.

Korra felt like she'd just been electrified, Asami needed help and even when they weren't in danger she wasn't able to help her. __What good am I to her? I didn't get there in time to save her, and I can't help her now.__

I

Lin brooded in the hallway by the phone as Kya and Korra exited Asami's room. _Poor girl_ Lin was legitimately saddened that the Red Lotus had done so much damage. But the Police Chief in her was still working with the evidence she had on them. She'd seen their type before, the Agni Kai's were full of bastards that would rather die than talk. They'd recovered one of the Red Lotus from Asami's blood bath, while he could barely talk Lin was sure with the right persuasion he would. _I'm a little out of practice...it'll be just like old times_. "How is she?" She asked Kya, Korra didn't look like she was in a talkative mood.

"She'll be fine eventually," Kya said, _you're only concerned about the job Lin. I know you._

"Tomorrow I'll question the survivor, with enough persuasion he might give us something to go on." Lin stated.

_Thought so_. "I hope that goes well." Kya said briefly, she felt an anger she hadn't felt in a long time. Lin was so obsessed with the job that she was eerily quick to ignore her friend's pain in pursuit of "justice".

"We need some of your officers. Asami needs more protection." Korra said still shell shocked from what she felt like was Asami shunning her. _I can't believe I did this to Mako and Bolin._

_She's girlfriend to the Avatar how much more protection does she need?_ "I can't spare any officers Korra, we're already spread too thin across the city."

"She needs more protection." Korra repeated.

"I can't spare anyone Korra, I'm sorry but I can't." Lin stated a little annoyed at Korra's persistence.

_She sounds so convincing._ "Then we'll have to get help from elsewhere." Kya picked up the phone.

Korra's eyebrows perked up. "Elsewhere?"

Lin glared at Kya. "If its who I think it is!"

"Who?" Korra asked frustrated.

"You can't spare the men, they can spare the women." Kya finished dialing.

"Anytime you two want to clue me in." Korra's frustration momentarily masking her sadness.

"The Kyoshi Warrior Group." Kya answered, almost satisfied with Lin's scowl.

I

Ren sat with her feet up on her desk, in the Kyoshi Warrior Group's headquarters for Republic City. She despised quiet nights like these, her guard shift was only halfway over and it was almost nine at night. She gazed across her office at the display case enshrining the old Armor of the Kyoshi warrior, she was amazed the old warriors fought in something so constrictive. Though guarding a village and being swords for hire required a vastly different uniform. One their business prowess and reputation could afford, and after decades of work in Republic City they could afford the best Future Industries had to offer. She checked the clock on the wall for the tenth time in five minutes. Her head slumped to the desk in dismay. The phone rang for only a second before her hand shot out to answer it. _Pleeeeeeeeeeease be something good, a bank robbery, a hostage situation anything!_ "Kyoshi Warrior Group, Sergeant Ren speaking, how may I help you sir or ma'am?" Ren recited the greeting off a card taped to the desk.

"Hi my name is Kya, I'm a friend of Asami Sato,"

_Yes!_ Future Industries had always provided the fun jobs. "We at the Group consider ourselves good friends of Asami Sato, how may we assist her?"

"There was an attempt on her life earlier today." Kya began. "And since the _Police_ are too busy to help We'd like some extra security at the Sato Estate."

_Damn...who would be crazy enough to try and kill Asami Sato._ "I'll personally bring a squad up to the Estate."

Kya was almost surprised. "I'll discuss your payment with-"

"No need. We consider all jobs for Future Industries to be on the house. We can't leave one of our own unprotected." Ren answered quickly, even though she was dismayed at hearing Asami Sato was unwell, the prospect of a job was exciting. She answered a few last questions and hung up the phone. She stood up from her desk with a certain glee, she loved this part of the job. She opened the door and stepped into the barracks floor. Flicking on the lights for the entire bay revealing bunk beds flanking the walls. "ON YOUR FEET!" She didn't have to wait long for all ten of her squad to hop to their feet off of their bunks. "Today one of our own Asami Sato was attacked, as you know an attack on one of us, is an attack on us all. We've been asked to protect the Sato Estate against any more threats to Asami Sato's life. We leave in twenty minutes, understood?"

"Roger Sergeant!"

I

Korra stood on the front porch watching the spirit portal far off in the distance, in the dark of the night it almost looked like there wasn't the rubble of an entire city surrounding it. The Kyoshi Warriors were on their way, Korra wanted to stay with Asami all day and protect her but being the Avatar had it's unavoidable responsibilities. _I've been there Asami...you don't have to do it alone. I can help you…_ she practiced in her head hoping it would be enough. Her heart panged when she thought about Asami alone. _I should've been there with her, We could've fought them off. I could have stopped this from happening._ She sighed and tried to think what Tenzin would say about this, _There's no point in thinking about the what ifs Korra,_ she thought in Tenzin's voice. _Only what next, not what ifs._ She mulled over her inner Tenzin's idea as a loud roar began to get closer and closer. At the far end of the driveway a series of Satocycles slowed and rolled up to the house. She stood firm, _the Kyoshi Warrior Group knows how to make an entrance_ _._ "I'm guessing you guys are the guards from the Kyoshi Warriors?"

Ren pulled off her helmet and strode up to the Avatar. "Sergeant Ren, pleasure to meet you Avatar."

Korra had read about the old Kyoshi Warriors and how they assisted Avatar Aang, but the Kyoshi Warrior Group of Republic City didn't seem like the same warriors. While the war paint remained, the ceremonial outfits were replaced with a dark tactical uniform. Korra eyed the dao sword hilt peeking from Ren's shoulder, as well as other weaponry fastened to her uniform. "It's my pleasure really, I wasn't expecting you and your squad so soon."

"We at the Group like to be early if possible, we were a bit surprised to hear Asami was attacked." Ren stated already scoping out the perimeter of the front lawn.

"We all were," Korra said sadly, the Kyoshi Warriors started to disperse in different directions. "She's in the house, if you want to concentrate your efforts there." She suggested.

"No need, we'll set up a perimeter, no one will get within striking distance of the house." Ren said confidently.

Korra was taken aback. "Are you sure?"

"Don't worry Avatar, anybody who even tries will get two good reasons to leave" Ren said motioning towards her sword. She turned and began to walk towards her warriors.

Korra shrugged, she couldn't put her finger on it, maybe it was the fact that the war paint hid what Ren truly looked like or her confidence. But something about her set Korra on edge. "Well if you need any of us we'll be in the house."

I

Kya fluffed her pillow and promptly fell into it, she tried to see if Asami wanted more healing but when she tried the door it was locked. She knew Asami was stable enough to not need overnight watch but still she was worried. She rolled over debating whether or not to change for the night or just let herself fall asleep. She looked over at her dresser and spotted a uniform of Lin's folded neatly. _How does she do it? She's so quick to push past her friend's suffering when it involves a criminal._ Lin would've said justice, Kya glared at the uniform and wondered what Lin would be like without her job. As if on cue the door opened and Lin walked in silently out of habit. "What do you want?"

"Sheesh hello to you to." Lin said strolling over to the dresser and bent her armor off of herself.

"Lin I think you should stay in your own room tonight." Kya said with a serious tone.

Lin stopped in her tracks. "Why?"

"You're the detective you should know." Kya said now sitting up in bed.

Lin thought it over. "Not this again."

"It's always been an issue Lin, Asami's hurt badly and all you care about is what evidence she can give you."

"To catch whoever did this to her!" Lin said raising her voice as much as the silence of the night would allow

"It's like it doesn't even phase you." Kya said angrily. "As soon as you saw that she was alive you didn't care about her anymore. She was just another witness."

"Of course I care about her, its my _job_ to find out more about the Red Lotus!" Her voice gaining volume.

"You care more about your job than you do anyone's well being Lin!"

"That's not true and you know it." Lin said a little hurt now. "I care about you…"

Kya rolled her eyes. "Not enough to even acknowledge me when we're not alone,"

"Is this what this is really about? Me not being all lovey dovey with you?" Lin accused.

"It's about you not showing any emotion at all unless it relates to work!" Kya said breaking the silence of the night entirely.

"Oh please, how long have you been storing this up? We've been fine ever since you've been in town." Lin barked.

"I'd hoped you had changed! You haven't you're still the same as you were when we were kids! Always wearing your armor trying to out do your mother by being even more emotionally vacant!" Kya countered.

Even stone cold Lin felt that one, her entire composure shattered, she was used to arguing with co-workers. Ones who wouldn't dare bring her mother into things, but coming from Kya it really stung. She bent her armor back on and walked out slamming the door behind her. She turned to see a wide eyed Korra frozen in her tracks down the hallway. _Of course she heard us!_ Lin stormed down the hallway to her own room.

I

Korra stood at the door to Asami's room quietly building enough nerve to open the door. She wanted to respect Asami's request of being alone but she needed a change of clothes. Her hand hovered over the knob before turning it, it turned and stopped suddenly. _Maybe I should just sleep in this…._

"Korra?" Asami called.

Before she could stop herself she bent the metal lock's mechanisms until it clicked and opened the door. She merely poked her head through, Asami was sitting up in bed but otherwise hadn't moved at all. "Need anything?"

"What were those Satocycles I heard earlier?" Asami asked, though she hoped Korra would come into the room.

"The Kyoshi Warrior Group, Lin couldn't spare any officers so we called them to help protect you." Korra answered opening the door wider. "They said they knew you."

Asami's nodded gently. "I trained with them when I was little, and they do a lot of field testing for Future Industries."

Korra stood still for a second before walking into the room and closing the door behind her. "They seem...intense."

"They have good reason to be, they're the most successful private security organization in the world." Asami spoke softly, she was glad Korra wasn't angry with her for asking to be alone.

"Most successful or not they're kinda creepy, I don't even know what the leader looks like beyond the war paint." Korra said still standing idly at the edge of the room.

"That's probably Ren," Asami said with a fond smirk. "She won second place in sparring qualification when we were training together."

"She must have been angry about that."

"She _does_ tend to be a sore loser." Asami agreed remembering fondly showing off her first place medal to her father. She started to cough.

"Are you sure you don't need anything?" Korra asked worried.

Asami coughed once more into her good hand. "I'll be fine," She answered not wanting to burden her.

"I'm glad to hear that." Korra said, her statement hanging awkwardly in the air. "I'll, uh, just grab some clothes then." She moved quickly to the dresser and began pulling out clothes.

"You aren't going to stay here?" Asami asked, she sounded more vulnerable than she wanted to.

"Oh...I mean I can...I just thought you'd want to be alone still." Korra said turning to face her.

"Please?" Asami said bringing her knees to her chest, wincing in pain as she did.

Korra walked over to the bed and carefully sat down so as to not bump any of Asami's wounds. "I'm glad you are…" she wanted to say okay but was not really sure if Asami was actually okay. She settled for putting an arm around her and kissing her forehead.

Asami leaned into Korra's embrace, for the first time since she was attacked she felt safe. Tears stung her eyes. "I was so scared Korra." She said quietly pressing herself more into Korra, into her safe haven. "I couldn't fight them off."

"I know…" Korra said her heart throbbing for Asami, she pulled her closer.

Asami began to sob quietly at first, the shock and anger that kept her from breaking down so far was crumbling. Tears seared down her cheeks and dried against Korra's clothes, how close she came to death started to dawn on her. How close she came to never seeing the NRC finished, and never seeing her prototype fly. How close she came to never seeing Korra again. She let her composure fall and sobbed heavily into Korra's embrace.

I

Kai opened his eyes, _FINALLY!_ stood up and surveyed the landscape before him, he was in the spirit world. _This is it?_ He was impressed by the orange hue in the sky and the rolling hills topped with low hanging trees. But the way Jinora ranted about the spirit world he was a little underwhelmed. A figure blurred in front of him and solidified. "Told you I could do it!"

Jinora rolled her eyes and smiled. "I knew you could, you just respond to negative reinforcement better than positive."

Kai raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Are you sure?" He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.

Jinora kissed him softly. "Positive." She tensed as his hands slid down from her waist and he kissed her deeper. She broke the kiss pulling away from him her face a bright red. _Why is he so forward all the time?_ She dodged his lips and smirked. "Let's go explore some."

Kai sighed inwardly, _I was trying to?_ "What's to see?"

_Shit..._ She looked around there was something she knew about this place, after all she knew everything. But this place in particular raised a flag in her collective knowledge of the spirit world. "I'm not sure, that's why its called exploring." She beckoned a little annoyed at Kai, She carefully negotiated a small pond and walked to the next tree.

Kai followed reluctantly, even though the hills of the landscape weren't the ones he was focused on. "Jinora, this is cool and all, but I expected more than just a bunch of trees." _Actually I expected more of a reward for getting to the spirit world too._

Jinora stood at the shore of another pond, Kai was right about one thing, there was a lot of trees. _There's something I'm missing_. She felt Kai's arm on her shoulder.  _Definitely couldn't miss that._ "Kai there's something wrong."

Kai thought for a moment. "What's wrong?" He played it off cool.

Jinora rolled her eyes. "Not with us you dolt! This place. It's empty, there's almost no spirits."

Kai did notice the lack of spirits in the spirit world. "Well this place is pretty boring, where are we anyways?"

_We're in a grove...oh no_. "We're in Xai Bau's grove,"

I

A single figure strode into the grove and took his usual place beneath a tree situated in the center of a large hill. He was Zaheer's successor, and like his predecessor he was an air bender. He was bald and dressed as an air bender however the usual orange and red were replaced with the black and grey of the metal clan. He'd grown up in Zaofu and when Kuvira conquered the city and nearly killed the Avatar, he had seen the light. It had taken the holy ones, as he referred to them, two attempts and nearly sixteen years to even come close to killing the Avatar. Kuvira had conquered one of the safest cities in the world and the Avatar less than a month. While he lacked the soldiers and funding of an empire's army, he had seen the path he needed to take. He watched as more figures joined him in a circle on the hill. He was frustrated with their lack of success, but time had taught him not to let it show. They all were new to this, while reprimand was necessary it had to be calculated, devastating but calculated. The last figure appeared and took its seat in the circle. "Now that you're all here, let's get down to business." When he spoke they all listened. "You're orders were to assassinate Asami Sato, the why was not given only the order, you were expected to successfully carry out those orders. I want no excuses, I just want to know why you failed."

A figured stirred at the end of the circle and stood. "I had the target in my sight and fired, the Avatar shoved her out of the way at the last second."

"Lok, you're new to the Red Lotus and show great promise, but you are the reason why our organization is back in the public eye. It was your attempt that killed the President of Republic City." He explained and was satisfied with the lip of the assassin quivering in fear. "Our second attempt ended in the death of one of our only combustion benders. Who sent him?"

An older man stood up closer in the circle to their leader than Lok was. "It was me, I was not aware that the Avatar and the Chief of Police were staying at he Sato Estate. I am the reason he failed."

The leader glared at the old man, failure while not acceptable was more expected from their newer members. "And You were the one who sent an entire group of new recruits to their death."

"I did not expect Asami Sato to put up such a fight." The older man realized his mistake.

"You did not expect it." The leader stood and faced the older man. "Yet you did not even risk your own life and go with them. You were given orders to carry out and you expected someone else to do it for you. And they died because of your carelessness." The leader clenched his jaw. "You will share their fate." He gave a quick pulling motion and yanked the old man toward him with a blast of air. In a moment they disappeared. In the next the leader returned without the old man. He dusted off his hands needlessly. "The Red Lotus must succeed, it is our duty to carry out the mission of the holy ones." He said addressing them all in the center of the circle. "We need our next strike to be successful, we're back on the public radar, be careful and think of a plan. I'll send word shortly as for the next meeting." The leader instructed and watched his soldiers disappear one by one. He began his trek to the Republic City spirit portal unaware that his instructions had been overheard.

I

Korra stirred awake, there was a pain in her neck as soon as she moved it. She'd fallen asleep sitting up with Asami pressed against her. She'd sobbed for what seemed like ages Korra holding her all the while. She was glad she could be there for her wounded love, _whatever you two decide to be, don't let go of it,_ Lin's voice rang in her head. She wouldn't, no matter what. She gently laid Asami down, a combination of stress and exhaustion made her especially comatose. Korra cracked her neck and quickly changed into clothes for the new day. She thought about Kya and Lin's fight, they did seem like total opposites, but something seemed so right about them. Evidently they didn't see it as clearly as others did. She crept down to the kitchen silently moving down the hallway, it was early and given the late night they all had she assumed she was the only one awake. She stepped into the kitchen and immediately saw Lin slumped across the kitchen table an emptied bottle in one hand. _Sheesh_. She silently walked over to the fridge and grabbed a jug of milk for morning cereal. Korra dropped the jug and ducked as a bottle came sailing towards her head. "LIN! What the shit!"

"Oh." Lin said deadpanned. "It's you."

"Yes its me! Who else would it be?" Korra asked annoyed as milk from the broken jug seeped into her socks. "So much for breakfast," She said grabbing a towel from the counter.

Lin scowled and sat back down at the table more upset about the lack of booze than the broken bottle. "We've got to check on that Red Lotus member today," She mumbled out through the pounding in her head.

_We?_ "I thought I'd head out to the supply lines actually," Korra said searching the kitchen for alternative breakfasts. "The Kyoshi will hold down the fort, it'll be a good distraction for a while."

Lin thought for a moment, _who better to scare information out of a perp than the Avatar?_ "I think the Red Lotus should take priority Korra." Lin lugged herself up off the table. "They killed the President, almost killed Asami, you, _and_ your father."

Korra's shoulders fell, she couldn't forget that. "I know."

"I don't know how much imbalance people have to cause to get wiped out by you. But I'd say they've reached their limit." Lin was selling Korra on the idea of interrogating the witness like an expert.

_A wise Avatar would not seek revenge, only resolution_ , Her mind conjured up Tenzin's advice. _They almost killed me, for three years I wished they had. Now they almost kill Asami! They deserve to be destroyed!_ Korra struggled with the idea, if she went to see the only surviving attacker, could she restrain herself? _I can...I will…_ she thought a little unsure of how honest she was being. "I can't wipe anyone out, that's what they tried to do to me. I'm here to bring balance not cause imbalance."

Lin countered. "Imbalance or not, they've hunted you and the people you love, how can you sit by and not do anything when we have a chance to nab them all?"

Korra raised an eyebrow, _they should pay for what they've done…_ "Fine. I'll go."

"Good I'll grab my keys."

"Uh...maybe I should drive?" Korra looked at the shattered bottle.

I

Mako leaned against the gas tank of his satocycle and twisted the throttle earning a high pitched whine in response. His satocycle took off like a rocket up the winding hill towards the Sato Estate, Mako wanted to get a statement from Asami. Though he could've taken a patrol car he prefered his satocycle on roads like these. He leaned into a corner and revved the engine he came barreling around the other side of the corner with a smile on his face. He twisted the throttle again and upshifted, _faster!_ he felt the force of acceleration pushing back and held on. He downshifted and prepared for the corner. _SHIT!_ He pulled the brakes as a Sato roadster came sliding around the blind corner only nearly missing him. "Watch it!" He yelled at the car as it sped away, he slowed and pulled his hand radio from its mount on the bike. "All highway patrol officers, all highway patrol officers, be on the look out for a dark grey Sato roadster, driving erratically." As soon he put the radio down it crackled to life.

"All highway patrol officers disregard last transmission over."

_What the fuck!_ "Do not disregard last over!"

"All highway patrol officers, disregard last transmission, Beifong out."

_Oh...well She still deserves a ticket._ Mako was still pissed as he rolled his bike along the driveway to the Sato Estate. Even for an early morning the grounds of the estate were eerily still. He put his helmet down on the tank, a shiver went up his spine as he heard a sword being pulled from its sheath. He turned and shot burst of fire without looking, immediately bringing his guard up for another strike. His fire was absorbed by dao swords, _who even uses those anymore?_ "I don't know who you are, but attacking an officer of the law is not a good way to start the day." He launched into a sprint firing shots from each hand as he did. Each one absorbed by his enemy's swords. _I'll have to get creative!_ He closed the distance and slid to his feet letting a blast shoot from his feet into the stomach of his attacker. His attacker sprawled across the ground and he closed the distance again readying a fire ball. His attacker spun and lashed out sending Mako crashing to the ground. He recovered only to be staring down the blades of his attackers swords.

"State your business!"

Mako focused on his opponent and not the sword blades inches from his face. "We're on the same side! Kyoshi Warrior? You're guarding Asami Sato. I'm a cop for shit's sake!" He relaxed when the swords came away from his face and the Kyoshi offered a hand.

"Right, my name is Ren, we weren't informed that you were stopping by." Ren said holstering her swords.

"So you see a cop and you attack on sight?" Mako asked crossing his arms. "I could have you arrested, you know that right?"

Ren smirked contorting her war paint into a devilish mask. " _Could_ you? You seemed like you were in need of back up just now."

"Sergeant, no need to antagonize him," Kya called from the porch of the estate. "Mako is a friend."

Mako was still glaring at Ren when she winked. _Wait what?_ "Anyways...I need to get a statement from Asami."

"She's still out cold, I'm making breakfast if you want some." Kya offered to Mako.

"Please?" Mako said beginning to walk to the estate, he kept an eye on Ren as she disappeared into the perimeter of the estate. She turned and gave a flirty wave. _Weirdo...capable though._ Mako dusted off his uniform. _Very capable…_

I

Lin marched up the stairs to the police station her head still pounding, and Korra in tow. She knew what she had to do, get the subject alone and get Korra to snap, that would scare anybody into talking. _You care more about your job than you do anyone's well being._ Kya's words still stung, but she couldn't help thinking that there wasn't any evidence to prove otherwise. She reached the top step, the pounding in her head was joined by tension in her back. She was pushing fifty five and felt every year like it was a decade, the constant battles and drinking did nothing to help. While she did get the occasional compliment about holding together well she was physically a wreck. She simply dealt with the pain well enough to hide it. Kya was so concerned with her emotional well being that she'd only offer to heal Lin once, an offer that was sternly refused. She paused at the door and reached for her flask. She shook it and was sadden to hear the sound of an almost entirely empty flask. "I'll need to stop by my office before we go see the perp."

Korra's eyebrow raised. "Maybe you shouldn't"

Lin grimaced. "That wasn't a question."

Lin flung open the door and stormed through the lobby to the elevator causing several officers to move out of her way as soon as they saw her. _Maybe you shouldn't_ She mocked Korra in her head. _What does she know!_ The elevator dinged and she stepped in. As the elevator rose so did her blood pressure. "Who are you to tell me what I shouldn't do."

"Sheesh Lin, forget it." Korra hoped that the elevator wouldn't stall out like it did before.

Lin tapped her foot impatiently until the doors opened and she stormed through the detective's office to hers, not caring if Korra was following. Lin walked into her office and let out a sigh as she saw a mountain of paperwork on her desk. She was busy with other equally important police matters but the office of Police Chief demanded more than that. She pulled open her bottom drawer and cursed as she saw another empty bottle. _Great. Perfect._ _First Kya compares me to my mother and then there is no booze._ Lin resisted the temptation to level the whole office, she did have a job to do after all. "Let's go see the bastard." She began to lead Korra to the interrogation rooms. _I can't send one of the detectives to get booze, I can swing by on the way back to the estate after this. I'll be damned if I have to face Kya sober._ Lin turned down the hallway looking for an empty interrogation room. She pulled the door open and walked into the dark room with a one way mirror on the far side. "I'll bring him in there, you stay here till I call you in."

I

Korra waited impatiently behind the one way mirror, she paced the length of the small room until a buzzer sounded and a man in an orange jump suit was led to the table. Her heart rate picked up, _he attacked Asami_ , She stared through the glass as Lin sat across from Asami's attacker. Lin stared him down, and so did Korra anger rising in her blood.

"Please state your full name." Lin said cooly.

Korra waited for a response to come over the speaker on her side of the mirror, and yet it didn't. She looked at Asami's attacker, a lithe but strong looking man with raggedy hair, and he was smiling. Korra clenched her teeth. _What have you got to smile about!_

Lin expected him not to respond, and now I start to lay it on. "Are you a member of the terrorist group known as the Red Lotus?"

Korra bit the inside of her cheek, _Say something you monster._

"I don't think you understand the seriousness of the situation you're in. The only other member of the Red Lotus we have in custody will stay that way until he dies." Lin bored into her subjects eyes. "You're facing the same fate, you've associated with an organization that assassinated the President the Earth Queen. And also attempted to kill the Avatar, the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, and the CEO of Future Industries."

Korra's blood began to boil, _you're going to rot in prison for the rest of your life!_

Lin wondered if Korra was ready yet. "At the very least you'd be facing attempted murder charges. Asami Sato had multiple fractures and wounds that could've killed her, most of which you and your men were directly responsible for." _That'll be enough._

Korra watched Lin leave the interrogation room and waited for the door to the observation room to open. Still staring at Asami's attacker, at the successor to her and her father's attacker. The Red Lotus was responsible for so much of her pain over the last years, and now they were responsible for Asami's pain. The door opened and Lin waved for her to follow. Korra barely registered anything in the hallway her mind was focused on a single purpose: vengance. "How will you get him to talk?"

Lin raised an eyebrow and waited at the door to the interrogation chamber. "I've got my ways." _Namely you._

Korra opened the door to the interrogation chamber and resisted the urge to beat the perp senseless. She sat down and Lin stood next to her. _I can't believe you're still smiling._ "You better start answered Lin's questions."

Lin just had to play her carefully, just let Korra scare him enough to get him talking. "I'm going to ask you a few more questions-" Lin stopped as someone knocked on the door to the interrogation chamber. She opened it enough to talk though.

Korra didn't break her stare at Asami's attacker. _I should give you something to smile about!_

Lin turned. "Korra, Tenzin is here he needs to see me, said it was urgent. I'll be back in a moment."

Korra heard the door lock, finally she broke her stare with the man. She looked around the room, no cameras and the observation room she'd just left was empty. _Resolution not revenge._ Tenzin's words tried to get her attention, but she was too concentrated on Asami's attacker. "What is the Red Lotus planning?" She asked seriously. She earned a continued blank stare from the man. "You and the Red Lotus have hurt a lot of people I love, and when I find them they will wish they never had." Korra said to herself as much as she did the man, she watched as the man's mouth twitched, and his smile grew wider. "You think this is funny!" Korra lunged across the table and grabbed the man by his shirt collar. He began to laugh. Korra slammed her fist across his face sending him to the floor. She was on him as his laughs grew louder, she swung again, and again. He laughed louder and louder. She wanted to rip his head off but settled for smashing it into the ground with her fists. _YOU BASTARD!_ She swung again his blood now coating her knuckles, she wanted to make him hurt. She wanted to make him hurt as bad as she did when Zaheer had broken her, and as badly as Asami did now. But he wouldn't stop laughing. Her eyes began to glow and she threw him across the room. He landed with a thud and began to laugh again. She reached out and began to bend, she felt the water within him and clenched her hands around it. Rage clouding everything but the pain she was inflicting on him as he finally stopped laughing. She brought her hands down, slamming him into the ground. She immediately wrenched them back up smashing him into the ceiling.

"KORRA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

She couldn't tell who but someone was yelling her name. She felt the heartbeat of the man pulsing in her hands as she bent him into the air and brought him crashing down again.

"Korra listen to me! Let him go!"

She finally had control over what had caused her so much pain. What had caused everyone she loved so much pain. How could she let go now? She was blasted to the side of the room and immediately turned to face her attacker bringing her hands up to fight dropping the man in the process.

"Korra!"

Even in her enraged state she knew the voice. _Tenzin_? She slowly let her guard fall and her eyes stopped glowing. She blinked and looked around the room, Tenzin and lin stood facing her, both aghast at what they'd walked in on. She looked across the room at the man who was unconscious and in a bloody mess on the floor. _What have I done?_ "Tenzin...I…"

"I need a healer in her now!" Lin yelled out into the hallway and went over to the man and checked for a pulse.

"Korra," Tenzin said calmly. "Come with me,"

Tears burned down Korra's cheeks. "I...I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

"It's okay Korra," Tenzin was more than aware of what he'd just witnessed, but the last thing an angry Avatar needed was more aggravation. He quickly grabbed her hand and led her out of the room.

I

As always please review re read and recycle


	5. Turtle duck and Tea

Lin sat on the balcony of her room at the Sato estate slowly sipping from a bottle of Fire Nation whiskey and watching the sun sink behind the mountains. She did this every time she made a mistake, Kya was big on meditation Lin was big on brooding over a bottle. She had covered for Korra the best she could but when it came down to it, she had a dead witness and only herself to blame. _How was I supposed to know that the almighty avatar would crack all of the sudden and kill the bastard?_ She drained her glass and refilled it immediately. She had made sure that it hadn't left the station but it would only be a matter of time before it leaked to the press. _'Avatar Korra Cracks, fear the blood bending Avatar'_ She rolled her eyes imagining the field day the press would have with it. The door to her room opened with a creak and her eyes went wide, _shit. Did Kya find out? Play it cool Lin. Play it cool._ She flinched as familiar hands rested on the shoulders of her armor. "Not still mad at me are you?" _You're about to be._

Kya gazed into the sunset. "No I'm still mad. I'm just curious as to why you're brooding like you do when you lose a police officer. There was nothing on the radio or in the papers."

"Kya, I...don't want you to stay mad at me." She thought back to the pain of seeing Kya leave her to travel the world and sipped from her glass. "I want you to know I always missed you, when you left I was so angry at myself…"

"I didn't leave because of you Lin, you know that"

"I know but it felt like I couldn't make you stay no matter what I tried."

"I'm here now for you, aren't I?"

Lin sighed. "I told Korra about us, I wanted to give her some advice."

Kya smirked. "How motherly."

Lin rolled her eyes. "I told her that if I had the chance to do one thing in my life differently, it would be us."

Kya was beginning to worry, it was unlike Lin to be so upfront. "Do you really mean that?"

Lin stood and faced Kya, leaning against the railing she looked into Kya's eyes. Ever since Lin was little she felt alone, adrift in the world without anybody to cling to. Kya was the first person who she clung to, first as a friend and then as something more. When Kya had left, Lin was back out in the world alone. She looked away as tears threatened to breach her eyelids, She silently bent her armor off and let it drop to the balcony. She stood still in her underclothes wondering how to admit it. "Kya, I need to tell you somethings,"

 _Okay..._ Kya could count the times Lin had said that to her on half a hand. "What things Lin? Is everything okay?"

"Look, I just need to tell you, promise to not interrupt me until I finish." Lin waited for a nod from Kya. "Our suspect died in custody today, the Red Lotus bastard that attacked Asami." Lin sighed. "You were right, I do put my job before people's well being, I'm to blame for the bastard dying." Lin finished her glass with a gulp. "I used Korra, I thought if I made her angry enough she could scare some information out of him." Lin reached for the bottle to fill her glass again. "I left the room and when I came back, Korra was blood bending him, we tried to save him but it was too late." Lin looked, Kya had a hand over her mouth and a silent rage building in her eyes. "I know. I know. It's my fault Kya. I've been thinking more and more about what I said to Korra, and what you said about me. Both of those are true, I put my job ahead of people and we are the one thing I wish I could've done differently." Lin took a quick swig. "I love you Kya, I really do, and I can't help but wonder if I had decided to come with you when you left republic city what we would've been like today. What I would've been like. When you asked me to go with you, I said I couldn't because of my job, I will never let my job interfere with us again, I'm retiring as Police Chief in two weeks time." Lin drained her glass and looked Kya in the eyes, the silent rage was gone but disbelief was in its place.

Kya could barely process it all, she was beyond shocked that Lin was showing so much emotion, but Korra blood bending? "Lin I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything, I know I fucked up with Korra I'll make it up to her, the press will hear that I was the reason the bastard died. And it'll look to them like I retired because of it. Just please tell me that you know I am serious, when I say I love you."

Kya closed the distance between them stepping over Lin's armor and planted her lips on Lin's. "I love you too." She pushed all the troubles out of the way and was simply happy to be with Lin. She had always imagined that Lin would die as Police Chief before she retired, her being part of the reason she retired made her feel unusually proud.

Lin touched her forehead to Kya's as tears of happiness welled in her eyes, Tenzin had said those words to her as well, but coming from Kya they seemed to resonate much more. She had only once before extended her heart to someone, and with Kya she was sure it wouldn't be refused or taken for granted. She kissed Kya again slowly this time, shutting out the whirlwind of thoughts and troubles that retirement brought. She shut out the guilt and worry that stemmed from pushing Korra too far. At last she was in the arms of someone who she knew cared about her and would never leave, and that the only place she wanted to be. "I love you."

Kya kissed back enthusiastically. "I love you to." She tugged Lin backwards into the bedroom by the fabric of her tanktop. She knew she should check on Korra and warn her about blood bending. She knew that Asami probably was up for more healing. But Lin had bared her heart to Kya and she had accepted it, and she wasn't going to let it go.

I

"So any idea how they got into the Research and development labs?" Mako asked sitting in a chair next to Asami's bed with a pen and a pad. Mako was almost done taking Asami's statement, he'd been worried she would be too emotional to talk; However she was pleasingly cooperative and answered all his questions. "Any idea at all?"

"No, they could have used the shipment and delivery bays to get into the building, it's a twenty minute walk." _Less with the elevators._ Asami tried adjust her back against the headboard of her bed but her body groaned in protest. Kya had done a fair bit of healing earlier in the day but Asami was finding out that water healing wasn't the magic cure all she assumed it was.

Mako nodded, scribbled in his note pad and clicked his pen. "I think that's enough for now,"

 _Finally._ "Well I'll be happy to help if you need anymore information." Asami faked a smile for the umptienth time that day. "Be careful on your way out, the Kyoshi tend to be on their guard around sunset."

"Trust me I think they're always on their guard, one of them attacked me, and I'm wearing a police uniform for shit's sake." Mako said a little more miffed than he meant to be.

Asami raised an eyebrow. "Medium height with dao swords?"

"Yeah how'd you know?"

"That's Ren, she and I trained together, she's quite the fighter." Asami smirked. "And she usually attacks the guys she thinks are cute."

"...Oh." Mako made a face, _weird way of showing you're interested._

"She want's to know if you can go toe to toe with her, that's why she does it, or so she says."

"Riiight." Mako said, the pain in his back from the scuffle resurfacing.

"From her past you don't really have any choice in the matter, she likes turtle duck, tea, and some whisky just a heads up." Asami offered almost genuinely smiling.

"Thanks, I'll have to get back to the station, hang in there Asami." Mako gave her a careful hug and left quickly.

Asami exhaled when he was a safe distance down the hall, tears welled in her eyes and she quietly began to cry. So many questions about how they attacked her and how she defended herself had brought back all the events too clearly. She painfully moved to the edge of the bed and almost fell to the floor. Her legs hadn't been broken but they had been brutally bruised and sprained. Still crying she stood up her legs screaming as she did, shuffling she moved slowly to the bathroom bracing herself on the doorway. Her legs felt like they were going to give out at any moment. Finally she reached the bathtub and with her good hand turned the faucet on to hot and let it slowly fill the tub. She wiped the tears from her face, _come on Asami be brave, Korra wouldn't cry...neither would mother._ She reached for the button of her pajama top with her good hand and unintentionally put weight on her bad one. She muzzled a cry of pain and tried again slowly removing her damaged hand from the sleeve of the pajama top. She again stood on her screaming legs and removed her pants nearly falling in the process. She turned the water off and half fell half lowered herself into the hot water. She concentrated on her breathing and tried to calm herself. _Be strong like Korra...you had to kill them, they didn't leave you a choice. It was them or you._ Asami winced as the hot water touched her bad hand but it slowly acclimatized and she let it soak. _Just relax, the Kyoshi wouldn't let anyone through, you're safe. I am safe...I am safe._ Asami repeated it several times, each time slightly more confident than the last. She rested her head on the edge of the tub and sighed deeply. _I wish Korra was here._

I

Korra wiped the tears from her face and looked out onto Yue Bay, she knew what she was supposed to be feeling. Satisfaction was not on that list, but she couldn't help it, one less Red Lotus member to her sounded great. Her tears of rage had ceased, she had felt like she did when she was fighting Zaheer. While the entire day of her poisoning was hard to remember what she did remember was the feeling of rage, pure, rampant, and exhausting rage. When she had been in control of the Red Lotus member in the cell she felt rage, but also a subtle bit of pleasure. For years she had dealt the effects of the Red Lotus' attempt on her life, and for those years she had felt like they controlled her. For one brief moment she had controlled one of them, she had killed one of them, and it had felt amazing. She turned to face Tenzin who had whisked her away to Air temple island immediately after she'd killed the man. They stood on a pavilion surrounded by trees overlooking the bay. "I'm sorry Tenzin…"

"I know." The Air bending Master answered. _But what exactly are you sorry for Korra…_

"I just lost control…" _and it felt amazing._

"Korra." Tenzin paused. "You don't feel bad about killing him do you?"

Korra was startled, she didn't think it looked so obvious. "I-Tenzin of course I do."

Tenzin raised an eyebrow. "Korra I'm not here to judge, I want to help you,"

Korra looked down. "No...I don't...and why should I! They destroyed me and they almost killed you, my father, and Asami! He deserved it! All of them do!"

"Korra please calm down." Tenzin was shocked at how quickly the rage in her eyes resurfaced. "Please sit with me." He went to the edge of the pavilion and sat in the lotus position.

Korra had been training under Tenzin for years and she didn't question him, she joined him at the edge of the pavilion in the lotus position. "They have caused more imbalance than I can think of, if there is anyone who deserves to be destroyed it's-"

"Korra stop." Tenzin said, in a neutral tone. "Stare into the bay and concentrate on your breathing."

Korra raised an eyebrow. "I'm not trying to go to the spirit world Tenzin."

"No you're not, just breathe and concentrate."

Korra rolled her eyes but did as he instructed and took a deep breath. _I know I'm right on this-concentrate…breathe in...breathe out...I should destroy them...breathe in...breathe out._

"This isn't about balance Korra you and I both know it."

_Breathe in...breathe out. Yes it is, they've caused more...breathe in...breathe out. Isn't it?_

"This is about revenge."

 _Breathe in...then I'll have my revenge...Breathe out…_ "So what if it is!"

"Concentrate Korra, concentrate on the facts, the Avatar cannot be a weapon of vengeance, you must create balance."

_Breathe in...I can create balance, if I destroy the Red Lotus once and for all...Breathe out._

"You're angry, anger clouds judgement, concentrate Korra, revenge is what Zaheer wanted. It's what the Red Lotus wants, not you."

 _In…_ "What do you mean? he wanted to bring chaos to the world because he was crazy!" _out…_

"It may seem that way, but much like your anger comes from a source, his desire for chaos also came from the same source. You feel as if your life was derailed by the Red Lotus and it drove you to kill a man."

 _In...I've disappointed him...out._ "Tenzin…"

"Imagine what could have driven a man and three others to hate the world enough to kill and risk being killed to see their plans be fulfilled. You once told me your suffering gave you insight into what real struggle and pain is, use that insight now."

 _In...out…_ "They thought they could bring balance by bringing chaos to the people who wronged them." _In…_

"Precisely, if you seek the revenge you want against the Red Lotus, you are bringing chaos to those who wronged you, just like them. I know you feel angry, and you have a right to be angry, but as the Avatar you cannot seek revenge. It will only bring imbalance and upset what you worked your entire life to achieve."

The rage settled in the pit of her stomach and dissipated. "I'm sorry I disappointed you Tenzin. I should have known better."

"Korra the Air Nomad culture is based in non aggression, it is a daily struggle to let go of the anger that threatens our inner peace. I am not disappointed, I know how hard it is to keep calm, if it had been Pema and I instead of Asami and you I probably would have had the same reaction." Tenzin sighed, _take this lesson to heart Korra for your own sake._

 _Did he just compare me and Asami to him and Pema?_ "I didn't even know I could blood bend...I kinda scared myself."

"Blood bending was discovered by someone consumed by rage and hate for the Fire Nation which held her prisoner. Likewise Amon was raised to use blood bending as a weapon with no regard for others. My father outlawed blood bending for a reason, it takes hate to discover it, a hate that will consume you. I know it must have felt like you were in control Korra but it will end up controlling you."

"I'll never use it again…"

"Promise me Korra, promise me you will never use it again, that kind of power even for the Avatar is too much to handle." Tenzin sighed, _if there is anyone who is strong enough to resist using it, it has to be Korra._

"I promise Tenzin," Korra stopped concentrating on her breathing and looked at her teacher. "Thank you, I don't know what would have happened if I had stayed angry at them."

"Korra there is no need to thank me, you know that." Tenzin smiled at his pupil. "You're welcome to stay for dinner Korra, I know Pema would love the company with the kids gone."

"I'd love to but I really need to check on Asami,"

Tenzin nodded. "Korra, I'm not sure what is going on between you two, but she seems to be a source of great happiness and balance in your life."

Korra blushed. "She really is."

I

Kya rolled over and tried to catch her breath, it came in fast smooth gasps her stomach moving quickly under the sheets. "I think I like retired Lin."

Lin smirked laying next to her. "I'm not retired just yet," She felt blindly for her cigarette case on her nightstand and pulled one out with her lips.

"Asami probably wouldn't appreciate that."

"Little miss rich tits can afford to clean the smell out, and you wanted me to stop drinking." She grabbed a small metal lighter with the Fire Nation symbol from the nightstand and lit the cigarette.

Kya rolled her eyes but smiled, she waited till Lin had a few drags and plucked the cigarette for herself. As she took a drag she couldn't help but laugh at the various items of clothing strewn in a chaotic path from the balcony. "I don't think we should let the maid clean up our unmentionables."

Lin rolled on her side to face Kya snatching the cigarette as she did. "Let's just stay in then," She spoke with the cigarette bobbing with her lips. "I can call in sick, Korra can heal Asami, and we can...well you know"

"Nope, you and I both have things to do tomorrow." Kya snatched the cigarette.

Lin raised an eyebrow. "Do we now?"

Kya rolled to face her. "I like your thinking but not where I was going, I need to heal Asami tomorrow. And you need to apologize to Korra."

Lin's smile fell, _and I was having such a good time._ "Kya, she's a big girl she knows I fucked up, I know I fucked up, why tell her what she already knows."

Kya took a long drag of the cigarette. "It's the principle Lin, you know she needs to hear it from you. Blood bending is serious, it's the water tribes curse on the world, it would eat lesser people alive."

Lin sighed. "Why do you always have to be right?"

Kya blew a smoke ring into the air and placed the cigarette between Lin's lips. "Because I _am_ always right."

"Fine, fine." Lin took the last drag of the cigarette and snuffed it out on her armor laying next to the bed. "I'll say sorry."

Kya rolled over and straddled Lin. "That's what I like to hear."

Lin raised an eyebrow. "I'll say sorry."

Kya rolled her eyes and leaned in to kiss the soon to be retired Chief of Police.

I

Korra banked her glider in the night sky and brought it into a slow descent, the nights were growing cold and she felt them more and more. She had been away from the Southern Water Tribe for almost a year now and had grown used to the summer weather of Republic City. She banked her glider again bringing it into a slow circle still high above the Sato Estate. _Maybe they really are as good as they say they are,_ the Kyoshi warriors were completely hidden even with a bird's eye view. She brought her glider into another banking dive bringing her to the ground quietly, the only noise was the glider retracting back into the staff. She surveyed the perimeter of the estate and slowly a figure became clear in the darkness. "Sergeant?"

"Avatar," the figure bowed and came into view. "The perimeter is secure, Chief Beifong, Ms. Kya, and Ms. Sato are all inside."

"Thank-wait, how do you know that they're in there?"

"My squad consists mainly of non-benders, however the earth bender was trained at the Beifong metal bending academy, and is quite skilled." Ren answered formally.

Korra made a mental note to not think too much into what Ren was suggesting. "Uh Huh...well I'll be going inside for the night." She turned with her glider under her arm and strolled for the door.

"Avatar?"

Korra turned curious as to what Ren wanted. "Sergeant?"

"Detective Mako was here earlier, he wanted an official statement from Ms. Sato."

"Okay...and?" Korra wanted desperately to be inside the estate.

"I wondered if you knew how to contact him...for official purposes."

Korra raised an eyebrow, she couldn't quite put her finger on it but Ren's demeanour had changed ever so slightly. "Sure, he stays at the police station, you can call up there and ask for him."

"Thanks Avatar." Ren bowed and quickly disappeared into the night.

Korra dismissed her with a shrug and walked into the estate. She had hoped Kya would be hard at work in the kitchen and the smell of a full Water Tribe meal would be snaking through the foyer. However tonight the foyer and the rest of the estate it seemed was dead quiet. Korra pouted, even when half way across the world some Water Tribe cuisine kept the homesickness at bay. She sauntered into the kitchen, which like the rest of the estate was unlit and seemingly untouched. She pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and guzzled it. The door creaked and Kya came through making Korra choke on her water.

Kya went wide eyed and pulled the sheet she was wearing higher around her. "Korra, I wasn't expecting you back so soon."

Korra recovered from her choking. "It's almost nine."

 _Shit._ "Time sure does slip away when you get older, I was just coming to get some tea."

"I'll put the kettle on." Korra while taken aback by Kya's near nakedness was glad she had another waterbender to talk to. She quickly filled the kettle and with a flick of her fingers bent a flame onto the stove. she stared into the shiny brass kettle reflecting the kitchen and herself. "Kya...did Lin tell you what happened today?"

Kya sat down at the table her bed sheet dress dragging on the floor as she did, she sighed. "Yes, she did. I want you to know Korra I don't blame you,"

Korra stared into the reflection on the kettle. "What do you know about blood bending?"

"Very little considering my mother was capable of it,"

Korra made a face. "Really? Katara?"

"She only told me as a cautionary tale, it's so taboo in both tribes these days that everyone thinks you have to be an evil sorcerer to be able to do it." Kya said watching Korra's back, _her aura is all sorts of screwed up_. "I think every water bender is capable of it,"

Korra's eyes followed the funnel of steam coming from the spout of the kettle. "Really?"

"My mother told me that blood bending came from a water bender's anger. Everyone is capable of anger, so everyone is capable of blood bending." Kya said cautiously. "It's dangerous Korra, I can sense the residual anger in your aura."

"I know, Tenzin told me how dangerous it is," Korra flinched as the kettle began to whistle. She poured the boiling water into her cup and stirred the tea bag. "I just...it scared me how…"

"How good it felt." Kya finished for her, She carefully kept her sheet wrapped around her and joined Korra at the counter pouring her own cup of tea. "I know how you feel Korra, but blood bending isn't something to mess around with."

Korra took a cautionary sip and she realized what Kya had said. "Have you used it?"

Kya's face went pale. "We can talk more about this tomorrow. Just promise me you won't use it again Korra."

"I won't." Korra said confident that she wouldn't.

"Good, see you tomorrow." Kya quickly poured a second cup of tea and just as quickly snatched both cups up and walked out of the kitchen her sheet trailing behind her.

Korra's shoulders dropped. _That sure struck a nerve._ She sighed and sipped her tea, the silence of the estate enveloping her again. She took stock of the day's events and decided that it had been an awful day. She put her tea cup down and left it unfinished set on curling up in bed and putting an end to the day. Korra strolled out of the kitchen and quickly scaled the staircase heading for Asami's room. _Surely Asami will be comatose by now..._ Korra opened the door and immediately noticed the empty bed. "Asami?" She scanned the room until she saw the bathroom door left open letting light spill out. Cautiously she walked towards the door and gently pushed it open so as not to make a sound. "Asami?" Korra entered the bathroom instanly scanning for hostiles but her eyes fell on Asami staring into space neck deep in water. "Asami? Are you okay?" _What the?_ Korra knelt beside the tub relieved to see that she was still breathing. Carefully she reached out and touched Asami's shoulder. "Asami?"

Asami flinched and looked at Korra. "Oh. Hey Korra."

"What's wrong Asami?" Korra asked trying to keep a level head when she was thoroughly freaked out by Asami's catatonic state. She tested the water with her fingertips and immediately withdrew them. "It's freezing, Asami how long have you been in here?"

Asami barely shrugged. "I don't know."

"Come on Asami, let's get you out of here." Korra reached into the frigid water and pulled the drain. Korra grabbed a towel from a nearby rack and held it out for Asami who didn't even register its presence. Korra sighed and knelt down again beside the tub, she gently ran her hand through Asami's ice cold soaked hair. "It's okay Asami, you're safe here."

Tears slowly rolled down Asami's cheeks. "I know."

Korra was beginning to feel helpless. "Asami what's wrong, come on let's get you out of the tub." Korra pleaded holding out the towel for Asami, after what seemed like forever Asami grabbed the towel. She stood back ready to catch Asami if her legs gave out.

Asami shakily stood and began to dry herself off. "Can you get my pajamas?"

 _She's shivering like crazy…_ "Sure thing," Korra answered and bolted out the door and went to the dresser. Then she remembered that a lot of Asami's clothes were still in her rubble filled room. She searched through her dresser frantically and found something acceptable. She quickly went back to the bathroom. "I know blue isn't your usual color but it'll-" Korra stopped, Asami was sitting on the edge of the tub head in her hands gently sobbing. Korra's heart dropped, _this all would have been avoided if I had been there to protect her._ Korra sat next to Asami and put her arm around her. "It's okay"

"No it's not." Asami said between sobs. "It won't stop."

"What won't?" _If i ever get my hands on those bastards._ Korra's shoulders dropped when Asami answered with only sobs. "Let's get you dressed," She gently pulled Asami to her feet and draped the nightgown over her. The blue fabric fell around Asami's shoulders covering her in the typical water tribe modesty. Korra looked at Asami who was staring at the floor. She wrapped her arms around her and held tight, saying nothing she picked Asami up and carried her to her bed. She carefully placed Asami down and joined her on the bed. She positioned her head comfortably on the pillow and looked into Asami's eyes. "Tell me what's wrong Asami, let me help." Korra asked quietly, she would wait however long it took for a response.

"I can't stop thinking about it…" Asami said tears running across her face into the pillow. "I had to tell Mako about the whole thing, and it all came back." She started to sob.

Korra moved closer and gently rubbed Asami's shoulder. "It'll be okay."

"I keep seeing them," Asami said between sobs. "I...I was fighting them, but an earthbender blind sided me…" She marshalled her breathing fighting each sob. "Then I don't know what happened I think I got kicked in the face. They all surrounded me. I...thought that was it." Asami clenched her hands on her head. "And it won't stop replaying in my head."

Korra pulled Asami against herself fighting back her own tears. _I should never have had to do this for you Asami. You were supposed to be safe. I was supposed to keep you safe._ She slowly stroked Asami's drying hair as she sobbed into her. "I know it seems like it will never stop hurting Asami, but it'll get better, I promise."

"I can't do it Korra, I'm not as strong as you, I just want it to stop!" Asami said barely lifting her head from where she nuzzled into Korra's embrace.

Korra held her. "It wasn't about how strong I was that helped me get through it Asami, I got through it because people helped me. You helped me." She let her tears go as Asami continued to sob. "I'll help you Asami, whatever it takes."

"Just don't leave…" Asami said now clinging to the Avatar.

Korra kissed the top of Asami's head. "I won't." Korra held onto Asami tightly. _I'll never let you go Asami._

I

Mako brooded at his desk, as usual the other detectives and staff had left leaving the open office a ghost town and Mako it's protector. He looked over the various crime scene photos on his desk, ones from Raiko's assassination, the attack by the combustion bender at the Sato Estate, and finally ones from Asami's attempted assassination. _Scene one, nothing not even a shred of evidence, scene two one dead combustion bender, scene three nineteen dead, including the newly deceased._ Mako picked up the photo of a ring of dead Red Lotus, _Asami sure as hell put up a fight._ He had gone back to Future Industries HQ that day and surveyed the crime scene. The laboratories had looked worse than the lower ring of Ba Sing Se, and much to his dismay the workers had disrupted much of the crime scene. He sighed, _all this carnage, only a single lead to follow, and Korra freaks out and kills the son of a bitch. Now as fucking usual I'm back to square one!_ Mako wanted to torch the entire file but he thought back to Lin yelling in his face. Instead he slumped his head down onto the desk with a thunk. The door at the far end of the office creaked open and Mako bolted upright in his chair. A lithe blonde woman stood in the doorway "Ma'am we're closed and furthermore how did you get in here?" Mako stood leaning over his desk.

"It's not like they built this place to keep people out." The blonde marched towards his desk.

 _Where have I heard her voice?_ "Funny. I didn't recognize you without your swords."

"They're great for combat but not for a night on the town," Ren stopped at the edge of his desk and looked at the photos. "Late night work?"

 _Is she serious? How did she get in here?_ "Sorta, shouldn't you be at the Sato Estate?"

"My squad has been rotating on breaks, it happens to be my turn. I was on my way home and heard you stay at the station so I'd thought about seeing how the lower paid side of the law works." Ren said picking up a crime scene photo.

Mako snatched it back. "I get paid enough, and I'd hesitate to call the Kyoshi Group the law." Mako observed Ren in the yellow light of the office, without her face paint she looked quite good, fierce but good. His eyes fixed on her blonde hair, it was dyed no doubt and probably a Varrick Global exclusive color. Then his mind snapped back to the fact that she was a civilian in the police station. "What are you doing here."

Ren rolled her eyes. _And I thought I was being obvious._ "My break only lasts for six hours, the next break I have is twenty one hours. I want to take you out for dinner."

 _That still doesn't answer how you got in the station...wait what!_ "Uh...you want to take me out for dinner?"

"Yes." Ren answered and picked up another crime scene photo. "It's not like you're getting anywhere on the case."

Mako glared, _She isn't wrong though._ "Garlon's a place downtown that survived the invasion, they have great turtle duck."

Ren furrowed her brow. "Were these the guys who attacked Asami?"

 _Is that a yes?_ "Yeah, they only made that mistake once."

Ren handed back the photo. "Judging by the clothing a mix of fire and earthbenders, not a whole lot of water."

 _Huh...she's right._ "There was only two water benders, and an air bender as well."

"I thought they were supposed to be non-violent?" Ren asked.

"Traditionally they are, but the new air benders aren't all Air Nomads so they can do whatever they like." _Wait a second..._ he frantically dug through the photos and pulled out the one of the air bender.

"Find something?" Ren circled around the desk and stood close looking at the photo in Mako's hand.

"Air benders are hard to find, the old Earth Queen actually had bounties on them, it can't be too hard to find someone who knows this asshole. Especially if I cross reference locations that had air benders pop up after harmonic convergence." Mako answered excited to finally have a lead.

"So that's why you're a detective," She said with a touch of sarcasm. "Well I've got three hours of my break left and I'm going home. And yes Garlon's sounds lovely, I can do ten tomorrow night, meet me there." Ren marched for the door.

"Wait!" Mako said almost unintentionally.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for the help, this case was nothing but dead ends."

"Hey somebody's gotta do it." Ren winked and quickly left.

Mako smirked and rolled his eyes before collapsing back into his chair. "Tomorrow at ten it is."

I

Korra stirred, she tried to roll over but her arm was trapped beneath a quietly snoring Asami. _I told her she snores!_ Korra gently tugged on her arm that was fast asleep and limply pulled it out, she flexed her muscles without feeling. Slowly but surely the feeling came back and Korra stared at the ceiling waiting for sleep. She smirked at the quiet snoring coming from Asami and rolled to face her. She sighed, _she seems so peaceful now…_ Korra smoothed a length of hair away from Asami's face. _I'm sorry Asami...I could've protected you if I had been there, I could have stopped it all._ Korra rolled over and looked out the window, the full moon bathed the room and the mountains beyond the estate in a bluish glow. _The Red Lotus will never stop,_ Korra took a deep breath. _I will stop them the next time..._ she breathed out. _The next time? Next time they might actually kill Asami!_ She tried to summon up Tenzin in her mind, _Calm down Korra, the won't be a next time because I'll stop them before it happens._ She breathed in. _Or I could stop them tonight! Zaheer has to know who these people are! He'll tell me! And if He doesnt!_ She breathed out and tossed in the bed. _Shut up. I promised Tenzin and Kya. It's not what the Avatar should do. I've got to create balance._ She breathed in and out slowly. _Balance. Not revenge. Balance._ She stared at the ceiling again still bathed in moonlight. _They've created so much imbalance, they've done it to me. Me personally! Zaheer got off easy going to prison!_ She breathed in and out trying to calm herself. _Damn it! They hurt me, I dealt with that, but Asami? Why can't I destroy them? It wouldn't cause any imbalance! They're all criminals! They have caused nothing but imbalance and pain for me!_ Korra carefully slipped out of bed and opened her dresser. _I'll show him pain!_ Korra pulled out the few non blue clothes she had and quickly threw them on. _I can sneak past the White Lotus guards easy enough, and I'll interrogate Zaheer, He'll know something about the new Red Lotus. I'll make him talk!_ Korra grabbed her glider and headed for the window.

"Korra?"

She froze in place. "Asami go back to bed, I'll be back soon."

"No don't leave!" Asami pleaded still half drunk with sleep.

Korra's shoulders dropped. "I've got to."

"What for? Can't you stay with me?"

"I need to…" Korra sighed. "I should never have let them hurt you."

Asami rubbed her eyes and sat up. "Korra what are you talking about?"

"The Red Lotus, if I destroy them they'll never be able to hurt you or me again."

Asami flexed her bad hand out of habit and was rewarded with a crippling bolt of pain. "Korra, Mako said they were all dead and they had no leads what were you going to do?"

Korra looked at the floor. "I was going to ask Zaheer."

Asami realized Korra was dressed in all black. "Just _ask_ him?"

Korra dropped her glider on the floor. "They caused us both so much pain." _What was I going to do?_ Korra watched Asami throw off the sheets and start to get up and immediately went to help.

"No it's okay I got this." Asami stood up a little wobbly. "Korra I know you feel like me getting attacked was your fault but it wasn't."

"I could've protect you! The Red Lotus needs to pay for what they did to us."

"And they will, but killing Zaheer wouldn't solve the problem." Asami put her arms around her girlfriend.

"I wasn't going to…" _Was i?_

"Korra if you kill him, you'll be just like him." Asami's legs screamed at her and she sat on the edge of her bed.

"I could never be like him." Korra said with a sudden touch of anger.

"He killed the Earth Queen in cold blood, the only difference is the reasons you had." Asami spoke with a quiet calculated tone. "He thought he was protecting the world, you thought you'd be protecting me."

Korra's lip quivered. "But I would be protecting you."

Asami patted the spot next to her on the bed with her good hand and waited for Korra to sit down. "In short term yes, but if the Red Lotus thought that you killed Zaheer because they tried to kill me...They'd probably try again."

Korra dropped her head into her hands. "I just...I just wanted to make him hurt."

Asami put her arm around Korra's shoulder. "I don't blame you."

"It isn't fair! They caused us so much pain and imbalance and they get away!"

Asami noded. "They will get caught Korra, Mako and the rest of the police are looking for them, and when they find them you can put them away. Put them away so that they'll never hurt me or you again." Asami smiled at the idea.

"That's too good for those bastards."

Asami felt the pain in her hand again. "It is, but that's what separates us from them."

Korra sighed. "...Asami I killed one of them."

Asami startled. "What?"

"The one who survived, Lin wanted me to scare him into talking. I...I lost control and I killed him." _I guess me and Zaheer are alike after all._

"Oh Korra, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I didn't want to disappoint you, Tenzin didn't say it but I could tell I failed him. I didn't want to fail you too." Korra said now facing Asami.

"You could never do that, why would Lin ask you to scare someone?"

"Well she didn't really ask, she just made me really angry…" Korra added sheepishly.

"What was she thinking!" Asami scoffed.

"I don't know but it just felt like I finally had them on the ropes, I could finally stop them. So I did…" Korra said with a subtle glee.

"You don't have to kill them Korra," Asami stroked korra's shoulder with her thumb. "You're better than that."

Korra sighed. "It doesn't feel like I am."

Asami kissed the side of Korra's head. "Well you'll always be the best to me." Asami reluctantly yawned.

Korra gently hugged Asami. "Love you."

"I love you too, now let's get back to bed." Asami playfully collapsed into Korra with a quiet giggle.

"You know you were snoring right?"

"I haven't any idea what you're talking about Korra."

Korra rolled her eyes, _I owe you one Asami..._

I


	6. Chapter 6

  
Mako waited impatiently at the table the waiter had given him, it was in the center of the Garlon restaurant. Mako didn’t like it, for one it was a weird mix between formal and informal, and second, the table was out of view of the entrances and exits meaning he couldn’t watch for incoming threats. He tried to relax, other than that the restaurant had a quaint feel to it, the chairs were heavy and the table sturdy, the whole place was lit dimly by small hanging lights that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a train car. He played with his water glass and checked his watch, it was almost ten, by Mako’s standards she was already late. He clocked Ren as she scoped the various tables looking for him, seeing her for the first time without a uniform or warpaint. If Mako didn't know she was a Kyoshi he'd have mistook her for a gymnast or a fighter. She was more threatening looking than he remembered even in a flowing black dress which looked quite expensive. Her whole body looked like carved marble each muscle moving underneath pale skin as she got closer. Mako noticed a simple necklace bearing a Kyoshi logo hanging from her neck framed by her blond hair. He stood and greeted her. “Did you find the place okay?"  
   
Ren smiled. “This place is an old favorite of mine, and its the last authentic turtle duck restaurant standing.” She pulled out her own chair and sat down. “Ever been here before?”

“Can’t say that I have, I’ve been eating either left overs or food stand grub because of work.” Mako answered trying to get a read on the Kyoshi warrior without getting distracted by how stunning she looked. 

Ren sighed. “I know how you feel, this place is a perfect break from that,”

Mako fumbled with his menu as a waiter strode up to the table. “I’ll need a minute.” He said barely acknowledging the waiter. 

“He’ll take the sweet and sour turtle duck with a side of rice, and I’ll take the slow roasted duck with a side of flat bread. Bring us a bottle of the twenty year old Fire Nation reserve.” 

Mako raised an eyebrow and handed his menu to the waiter. “I was actually thinking of ordering that.”

Ren smirked. “I guess you’re not the only detective at the table.” 

This irked Mako more than it should have. “I’d hesitate to call a mercenary a detective.”

“I’d hesitate to call myself a mercenary.” Ren took a sip of her water. 

“What else would I call you?”

“Well, Ren for starters, Sergeant if you want to get formal, and the Kyoshi aren’t any more mercenaries than the Police. We work for all good guys, not just the government.”

“Good guys for hire?”

Ren winked. “How do you think I can afford a twenty year old bottle of Fire Nation whisky.”

Mako smirked, it was like they were fighting, both on offense, not letting either get close. He switched tactics “So, how’d you become a Kyoshi?”

“I’m a native actually, was training with the rest of the girls in my village, but they were asking for recruits for their installations else where in the world and I jumped at the chance.” Ren admitted. She observed Mako for the first time, he was nervous, but she didn’t attribute the nervousness to herself. She could tell by the way that he kept scanning the restaurant he was waiting for something to happen. He practically jumped when the waiter placed the bottle of whisky on the table. She poured herself a glass and then one for Mako. “So how’d a famous pro bender like yourself become a cop.” She asked before nosing the whisky. 

Mako did the same, a burning shot through his nose. “After the Avatar and I helped defeat Amon and the Equalists the police were in short supply of cops and Chief Beifong offered. It seemed like a good way to help my city.” 

Ren sipped at the whisky letting it coat her tongue. “Ah, I see.” 

Mako took a swig and almost coughed it up, he grimaced but managed to swallow it. “You actually like this stuff?”

“Take a smaller sip next time,” She said with a certain satisfaction, she could see he was still tense and it finally clicked in her head. “You were at President Raiko’s assassination weren't you?” 

Mako frowned. “Yeah…” 

“But I’m guessing you’ve been on edge for quite a while before that.” Ren ventured. 

“What do you mean?” 

“You keep scanning the restaurant for potential threats, your shoulders are tensed and your breathing is slightly elevated.” Ren had seen in hundreds of times before, even experienced it.

“Comes with the job.” Mako sat back in his chair becoming more defensive. 

“Well I’ll give you that," Ren looked away and took a large sip from her glass. “We at the Group call it battle fatigue, either you’re so stressed or freaked out for so long that even when theres no reason to be you’re still on your guard running at 110 percent.” 

Mako didn’t really know how to react, Ren couldn’t have described it better. It was exhausting always being paranoid, always being afraid, always being ready to spring into action. “So it happens a lot?”

“Frequently, we have a Guru that works with the institute that helps our warriors out with it. He helped me quite a bit.” Ren explained as she moved her hands away from the table as the waiter came with their food. Her stomach rumbled at the smell of slow roasted turtle duck. “Looks delicious” 

“How did he help?” Mako ignored the food. 

“Through some meditation, and a good dose of tea, I’ll give you his card.” She answered and took and took a bite of the duck. The duck was perfect, while Mako was sure to be an interesting date, he was also a good excuse to come to her favorite restaurant. 

“Can he help me sleep?” Mako said almost pleading. 

Ren looked into his eyes, he was worse off than she thought, she reached a reassuring hand across the table. “Yes he can, Mako I know how hard it is, not many people deal with what we do.” 

“How do you cope with it?” 

“Relaxing dinners with handsome dates help.” She winked at him trying to put him at ease. “You should really eat that, its the best in town.” 

Mako took a bite and was surprised just how good turtle duck could taste. “Wow. I’m glad this place is still standing.” 

“It’d be a loss for the entire culinary culture here if it wasn’t,” Ren finished another bite then refilled her glass of whisky. 

Mako raised an eyebrow at this. “Another one of your coping methods?” 

“It works for your boss doesn’t it?” 

Mako shrugged. “I suppose” He took another sip. 

“It started as a coping method, but there’s something special about Fire Nation whisky,”

“The way it burns your mouth and throat?” Mako said taking another bite of his delicious meal. 

Ren smirked and put down her silverware. “Take a small sip.” She waited for him to put the glass to his lips. “Take the sip then keep it on your tongue for a bit, let it sit and coat it before swallowing.”

Mako raised an eyebrow but let the fiery liquid sit for a moment on his tongue, he was surprised to notice it wasn’t just a burning he could feel but many other flavors. He swallowed and looked at the glass. “More than meets the eye.”

Ren smiled “Aren’t we all.”

I

Lin laid back against the headboard of her bed, she hadn’t called in sick in years, but it was well worth it. Her and Lin had hardly left their room, they simply let the day drift away while they laid in each others arms listening to the radio or their racing heart beats. Kya sat up and stretched, Lin loved the subtle curve Kya’s naked back had to it, you’d never think she was as strong as she was. Lin yawned. “It’s almost eleven, I haven't had a day like this in years.” 

“I hope you and me are thinking of the same day.” Kya teased, she laid back resting her head in Lin’s lap. “What do you say to a shower, then a late night dinner, then maybe we can have some of Asami’s wine for dessert.”

Lin smiled and ran her hand against Kya’s face, she looked at her hand and Kya’s face, she reminisced about when they were younger and were doing much the same in a garden on Air Temple Island. “That sounds like something retired Lin would love.” 

Kya wanted to press the issue that Lin hadn’t left the room much meaning she hadn’t apologized to Korra at all, but why ruin the day. She tilted her head and kissed Lin’s bare stomach. “I’ll run the shower.” 

Lin watched as Kya sauntered her way through the bathroom door and she heard the shower begin to spray water. “Not too cold, remember!”

 _Earthbenders, always so finicky about the water temperature_. Kya adjusted the water temperature and mentally ran through Water tribe recipes for dinner. She walked over to the mirror and looked herself in the eye. Lin walked up behind her and joined her. “Where did the years go Lin?”

Lin looked herself in the mirror and sighed. “I have no idea, I’m just glad we didn’t waste any more of it apart from each other.” 

I

Korra guided a large glowing orb around Asami’s hand and wrist back and forth rhythmically, they had been at it for hours starting when Korra got back from a quick visit to the supply routes. It had been an abnormally humid day, the double doors leading to their balcony were open leaving the curtains gently flowing with the breeze. While masters like Katara and Kya made healing look incredibly easy, Korra wasn’t the most experience healer making it challenging work. But Asami’s company and rising spirits were worth the effort. Asami looked almost like she was meditating, only her steady slow breaths moved her. Given the heat of the day Korra had opted for a thin tank top and a comfy pair of pajama shorts. Asami was still wearing Korra’s water tribe sleeping gown. Korra guided the orb of water away from Asami’s hand and returned it to the bowl lying near the bed. Asami stirred and looked at Korra smiling. “Want some water?” Korra asked. 

“You know a bit of ice water would really hit the spot right now.” Asami lifted her injured hand carefully and tried to close it. She winced in pain immediately and her good mood soured. “It really will be weeks.”

Korra didn’t know what to say so she moved to the bathroom grabbing to glasses on the sink she filled them with water. She bent water from the sink and froze it into a shard for each of the glasses. “I know how you feel Asami,” She turned back into the room and sat on the edge of the bed handing Asami a glass. 

“How did you do it?” Asami asked remembering how badly Korra had been injured after Zaheer’s attack.

“I almost didn’t, but I had help from everyone, especially you.” Korra leaned forward and kissed Asami gently on the lips. 

Asami leaned her forehead against Korra’s and fought back tears. “I can’t work on my prototype like this, without it finished I can’t reveal it, and I promised after it was revealed We could tell people about us. It’s not fair.” 

Korra caressed Asami’s neck reassuringly. “It isn’t, but we’ll deal with it, I promise.” Korra kissed Asami again, Asami’s tears rolled from her cheeks but subsided quickly. Korra held the kiss and adjusted her mouth, feeling Asami’s lips on hers never ceased to be intoxicating. Her hand gently held Asami’s neck while the other pressed gently on her hip.  
Asami’s lips broke away giving her a chance to catch her breath, Korra felt like a drug to her. She was keenly aware of the Avatar’s firm but delicate hand on her body. She kissed her again wishing she had use of both her hands. “This is a really good way to deal with it.”

Korra snickered as she moved her lips to Asami’s jaw and neck. “Not really what I had in mind but it is.” Korra adjusted herself on the bed so she was above Asami. Asami breathed in sharply as the Avatar’s lips skirted the edge of her collar bone. Giving a slight whimper in answer. Korra was still excited by the taste of Asami’s skin on her lips, she adjusted her hands on the bed and immediately Asami cried out in pain. Korra immediately shifted her hand off Asami’s injured limb. “Shit. I’m so sorry! I’m sorry!” 

Asami swallowed another whimper of pain waving her good hand in answer. “It’s okay. Really its fine.” 

Korra felt worse than when she had stepped on Naga’s tail, She rolled over to one side of Asami being extra careful. “I should’ve been more careful, I’m sorry.”

The pain in Asami’s hand finally subsided. “Don’t worry about it,” she placed a reassuring arm across the Avatar’s shoulder. 

“I still will.” Korra said relaxing with Asami’s arm around her, her stomach began to grumble and she noticed a fantastic smell wafting into the room. Instantly she was reminded of home, after a long day of practice she’d walked in the door and immediately be greeted by the smell of her mother’s cooking. “Kya must be cooking.”

Asami realized she was starving. “It probably tastes as good as it smells.”

Korra was willing to bet it was a thick water tribe soup they were smelling. “Want some dinner? I can bring up a bowl.”

Asami shifted her still bruised legs, she’d placed importance on healing her hand first leaving her other wounds to heal naturally. “Actually I’d really love to get out of this room for a bit.” 

Korra sprang from the bed and began to help Asami to one side of it, She braced herself under Asami’s shoulder as her girlfriend tried to stand. She felt Asami nearly fall forward and then collapse back onto the bed. “You okay?”

Asami was visibly angry. “Guess I’m worse off than I thought.”

Korra thought for a second. “That’s why you have me,” Without another word she scooped Asami up and carried her in her arms across the room and carefully maneuvered her out of the bedroom doorway. 

Asami draped her arms around Korra’s neck as she was carried down the hallway. “Now you’re just spoiling me.”

Korra carefully began to negotiate the staircase down to the first floor of the estate. “If there is anyone who deserves some spoiling its you.” She smiled and cautiously took the

last few steps, following the smell of the soup all the way to the kitchen, she practically kicked the door open and guided Asami through. They were greeted by an awkward stare by an equally casually dressed Kya and Lin. 

Lin froze, her arms were still wrapped around Kya’s waist as she looked over her shoulder at the soup she was stirring. Practically jumping back before asking herself what the point of that was. “Hey…you two.” 

Korra shrugged away the awkwardness and carefully helped Asami into a seat at the big oak dinning table. “Couldn’t ignore the smell of that soup.” She said standing next to Asami’s chair with a hand on Asami’s shoulder. 

Kya smiled “I’m glad to hear it, how was your day?”

Korra sat down next to Asami. “Not bad, the supply lines into the city haven’t been attacked lately thankfully, and Asami’s healing seems to be on track.” She answered unable to ignore the sad glance Asami gave to her hand. “How was yours?”

Kya blushed thinking about the day that had gone by. “It was…memorable.” 

Asami raised an eyebrow but shook away any thoughts. “Any new information on Raiko’s assassin?” 

The question hung in the air tensing up the whole room for a few awkward moments before Lin answered. “No, not really." 

Kya stared into the soup desperate for a subject change. “Asami, a research assistant called earlier, I figured you’d be resting, she wanted to know if she should start rebuilding your prototype-uh, I forgot what she called it.” 

Asami thought for a moment. “That was probably Jade, I’ll need to call her tomorrow, I wish I could rebuild it myself but I think if I supervised her team should be able to handle it.”

Lin was back in detective mode in an instant. “What’s this prototype?”

Asami considered for a moment. “It’s something that could revolutionize air travel, I actually got the Idea from watching Korra on her glider.” 

Kya poured soup into four bowls and quickly the older couple joined the younger two at the table. “Sounds exciting, what does it do?”

Korra listened intently as she devoured the bowl of soup that tasted exactly like her mothers. It was nice being the girlfriend of a genius. “I’m glad I could inspire you.”

“Well, whenever Korra needs to fly faster on her glider she can fire bend from her feet causing a momentary boost of speed.” Asami carefully took a spoonful of soup with a delicacy Korra both envied but didn’t understand the need for. “So I figured if I could design an engine that produced a consistent jet of flame I could attach it to a regular plane and use it to accelerate the plane.”

Lin knew Asami was a genius but the idea blew her mind. “And you got it to work?”

Asami nodded though the image of her creation in flames flashed before her brain. “The way it works is,” she held up an empty glass that had been sitting on the table. “The plane takes of and accelerates to normal speed, then the pilot turns on the fuel supply to the booster.” She tilted the cup sideways. “The air going through the intake of the booster is compressed and mixed with fuel and ignited producing boost out the exhaust side of it.” 

Korra smiled, she could see the obvious joy in Asami’s eyes as she explained her creation. “Why not just use the booster to take off?” Korra asked between spoonfuls of soup.  
“The booster needs air to be flowing through it at a certain speed before it actually can work, but once its running, in theory the pilot should be able to switch off the normal engines and rely on the booster alone.” 

Kya was equally amazed. “That sounds incredible.”

Asami smiled. “If everything works it should be ready for debut in a month, and field testing within the year. If my math is good it should be able to fly from here to Ba Sing Se faster than Varrick’s high speed rail.” 

The conversation continued, later into the evening and eventually, though they couldn’t remember who had brought the wine up from the cellar, they each had an empty glass in front of them. Though Lin’s had been refilled twice. Kya took a gentle sip cleared her throat and held her glass in the air. “A toast, to Asami’s incredible invention and Lin’s retirement.” 

The four of their glasses clinked together and Korra processed what Kya had said. “You’re retiring Lin?” 

Lin finished her glass and sighed. “Yes…I am.”

Asami was puzzled. “Why?”

Korra was connecting the dots but she didn’t like where the conversation could possibly lead. 

“I’m sorry Korra.” Lin said before pouring another glass for herself. “I should have never pushed you like I did, it was reckless and stupid. The Chief of Police should have better judgement than that.” 

Asami stirred her soup around. Can’t argue with that. “So what will that mean for the investigation?”

Lin took a swig of wine. “Very little, I’m just in charge of the people investigating it, they do most of the heavy lifting I just supervise. I’ll be more able to investigate once I’m actually retired.”

Kya smiled. “And you’ll be happier in general.”

Lin traced the edge of her wine glass with her finger, Korra hadn’t said anything and that worried her. “When the press finds out about that Red Lotus member we had in custody, they’ll hear that I was the reason he died, not you Korra. It’s the least I could do.” 

_least you could’ve done was not trick me into killing a man._ She kept a civil face for Asami’s sake. “Thank you.”

Kya could sense the dishonesty and hatred in Korra’s aura and couldn’t help but shudder. “Well, I think I’ll be heading to bed. This old hag needs to rest her bones.” She playfully added and finished the rest of her wine, she quickly left and placed her glass in the sink with Lin following. 

Asami swirled the last bit of wine in her glass. “She means well Korra.”

Korra realized Asami was much better at reading her than she had been in the past. “I…I know.” _I’m to blame, not her._ “But I can’t help but think that she really can’t take back or fix what she’s done. I’m a blood bender. And now every Avatar after me will be able to, and it’s all my fault.” Korra fought the temptation to smash her wine glass, instead she downed the rest of the wine in it.

Asami leaned against her and sighed. “It’ll be okay.”

Korra held Asami against her with her arm, glad to hear that Asami was being optimistic even if it was only for her sake. “Let’s go to bed.” 

“I’m afraid you’ll have to carry me again.”

“I would even if you didn’t need me to.” Korra hoisted her girlfriend in the air with relative ease and strolled out of the kitchen. Asami wrapped her arms around Korra’s neck and snuggled up to her chest feeling safer than she had all day. The human incarnation of an all powerful spirit, capable of incredible destruction and incredible compassion held her in her arms. It was hard not to feel safe. She was practically asleep before they even got to her bed, she had just enough energy to plant a long and wanting kiss on Korra’s lips and ask her to stay for the night. An offer Korra couldn’t refuse. Asami loved falling asleep in Korra’s strong embrace. They were both fast asleep within minutes, for the moment there was no Red Lotus, no assassins, no one out to get them. Just the two of them safe in each other’s company, it was the best sleep they had ever gotten.

I

Mako tried to walk a straight line down the sidewalk but ended up in a parallel orbit with Ren who was having just as much trouble. The dinner was delicious and Mako eventually learned to love the whisky which they had nearly finished. Now they strolled through the part of town Mako had once patrolled. While Kuvira had leveled most of the city, the clean up operation had left it in a weird post apocalyptic stage without the rubble and general wreckage that came along with it. He had long since passed the station, he figured it was only polite to walk Ren to her apartment, the city was still dangerous even for a Kyoshi. “Thanks for tonight, it was fun.”

Ren chuckled that kind of way you do when intoxicated. “That it was Detective.”

Mako looked over the streets, they were only lit by the few working street lamps and the glow of the spirit portal several blocks away. “It’s weird being in the city late at night and not being on patrol.” 

“Well we should do it more often.” Ren smirked leaning into Mako. 

Mako wrapped an arm around her. “I’m perfectly okay with that.”

“Good,” Ren stopped and looked at her apartment building. “Well this is me,”

“Nice place,” Mako said what he meant, if the rest of the block hadn’t taken the brunt of a blast from Kuvira’s cannon the rent would have been insane. “I guess I’ll see you soon?”

Ren thought for a moment. “I’m afraid you’ll have to come with me Detective.” 

“Huh?” Mako didn’t know whether to play along or see that as a threat. 

Ren giggled and grabbed Mako’s hand leading him up the stairs of her apartment building. She quickly unlocked the door and practically ripped him through the doorway. _Might as well make the most of tonight_ She thought as she hit the button for the elevator. She turned to face her date. “I hope this isn’t too fast for you.” She planted a heavy kiss on his lips. 

“Uh…nope” Mako said a little taken back. 

“Good,” She jumped and wrapped her legs around Mako’s waist kissing him as she ran her hands through his hair. 

The elevator dinged and Mako walked the two of them into it, pressing Ren against the elevator wall and kissing back as fiercely as she did. Slowly the elevator rose to Ren’s floor and opened, Mako walked backwards practically dazed by the pace at which he and Ren were exchanging kisses and gropes. While it was unusual for a girl in this town to be so forward, he got a different sense from Ren. It was like a hunter going after prey, she wanted him, so she took him. As an added bonus he hadn’t thought about work or a case all night, and doubted he would for quite a while.

I

Lin felt awful, while the day before had been one of the best of her life, the lack of sleep and over dose of wine had hit her like a train. She walked like a zombie into the city council meeting she had forgot completely about when she called in sick the day before. She quickly slumped down into her chair barely acknowledging the other leaders and Mayors as she did. Tenzin sat opposite her, an empty chair sat where Raiko would have been seated at the far end surrounded by all the city mayors. While the room lacked the grandeur of the old city council chamber, the massive table they were able to recover from the ruble still emitted an aura of importance. She coughed and looked around the table, the same usual cast of characters. All either in Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, or even Fire Nation garb each representing a district of the city. Though some of the people seated at the table didn’t have a district to represent anymore. Her head pounded as Tenzin stood and began to speak. 

“With Chief Beifong here we can begin.” Tenzin looked around the table. “While the tragedy of President Raiko’s assassination is still fresh in our mind. We need to look to the future, the city is still very much on the brink of chaos and we need a new leader the citizens can rally behind.” 

“Well we’ll have to hold an election” one of the Mayors chimed in.

“I’m not sure the many people will even vote, most of the city is still in refugee camps.” 

“Well we should just pick a leader then,” 

“That’s a horrible idea!”

Lin’s head rang as the argument erupted, somehow politicians seemed to always start arguments with each other. She looked at Tenzin who somehow wasn’t annoyed at all, he just simply sat there stroking his beard, thinking. He stood up ready to speak but someone beat him to it. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, please, arguing won’t help our city very much.” 

Lin took a long look at the tall balding man in Earth Kingdom attire who had stood at the end of the table addressing his comrades. She thought for a moment trying to put a name to his face. Tsu something Tsuama, Tsuamra, Tsusamo! Thats his name. Mayor Tsusamo, in charge of district three. She knew little else about the man and waited for him to continue.

“We can’t select a leader by ourselves, and while an election will seem sudden, and perhaps slightly irreverent. Master Tenzin is completely right, to keep the city falling further into chaos we need a leader to bring our city together.” Tsusamo said, he enjoyed the silence he’d created around the table. “I suggest that by the end of the month we have the election, it’ll give enough time for a bit of campaigning and to let our people know that they're in charge of selecting their new President.” 

Lin was impressed, none of the other Mayors seemed to objected, and an argument didn’t erupt. Whoever Tsusamo was he definitely had the respect of the city council. Her stomach lurched and she felt like puking. “All in favor say Aye” She wanted the meeting over with, she could nurse her hangover away in the silence of her office. 

Tenzin nodded and slowly the different Mayors around the table uttered the phrase, save for one. “Mayor Khe?” Tenzin asked.

Mayor Khe was a older tall and frail looking woman dressed in fire nation clothing that seemed to be even older than she was. She’d been involved in her districts politics long before Raiko had taken office. “I have to vote no, even if it is only for the record, the people need to be reassured that they’re safe true, but President Raiko was assassinated less than a week ago. Respects should be payed before forgetting all he did for us.” 

Tenzin considered, she was right of course, however one vote in opposition did not mean she won. “I agree, however the rest of the council has decided it, an election will be held thirty days from today.” Tenzin sat back down and looked around the table. “Before we go any further, Chief Beifong is there any new developments in the investigation into President Raiko’s assassination?” 

Lin still felt like death but tried to sound as normal as possible. “Not as of late, our lead suspect has…died. However we’re continuing to pursue all avenue’s of approach on this case.” Lin tried to make it sound as promising as possible before realizing she had more news to announce. “I suppose this is as good of a time as any, I’ve decided to retire in two weeks time,” Lin decided there was no reason to beat around the bush. There was a slight murmur around the table and a few concerned looks and even some sighs of relief. 

“Lin…this is rather sudden.” Tenzin was clearly blindsided.

“The death of our main suspect was my responsibility, I should've had better judgement and it’s caused a major set back in the case. It’s time I passed the torch.” She said giving a slight nod to Tenzin who know who really did kill the prisoner. “I’ll choose my successor, as well as continue to advise on the case while its open.” 

Tenzin pondered for a moment. “Very well, the council as a whole wishes you luck in retirement.” 

Lin nodded in thanks, the meeting continued drowned out by the pounding of her head, next time she would go easier on the wine. She concentrated instead on what was left of the investigation. As it stood they had no living suspects, a morgue full of dead ones and zero leads besides someone who had been locked up for almost four years. Still in prison or not the past leader of the deadly terrorist organization had to know something. She would have to make time to visit Zaheer’s mountain prison, _perhaps Korra shouldn’t come along this time._

I

Deep inside the mountain prison Zaheer called home, he hovered above the floor of his prison cell bound by chains. He was the first Airbender in thousands of years to learn the ability of flight, though it had come at a awful cost. He had almost succeeded in his mission of ending the Avatar cycle and bringing the world back to its natural order. However he had failed and was imprisoned, he had no doubt that he would die in prison. But the soul could outlive the body, and the soul cannot be imprisoned. Even as he sat in the air above the floor of his prison cell, his spirit was elsewhere, through the spirit world he was no more imprisoned than any free man. His spirit was enjoying the serenity of Xai Bau’s grove seated beneath a large bonsai tree, though this world was purely spiritual he could still feel the soft breeze cooling the heat of the day. He took a deep breath and sighed. “What is it you want Koju?” He called his predecessor by name. 

A figured emerged from behind one of the many trees in the grove. “My apologies Master, I seek only your council”

“How is the Red Lotus doing?”

“Our operation as of late has gone slightly sour.” Koju sat in the lotus position in front of his predecessor. “The new disciples are incompetent, we’ve tried to assassinate Asami Sato so we can move our agents into the process of rebuilding Republic City. Time and time again they’ve failed. The only solace is that President Raiko met his end, and an election is scheduled for the end of the month, an agent of ours is already in place. They will assure victory in this election for the Red Lotus.” 

“Koju, they have not failed, you have.”

“Master?” Xai couldn’t help but feel offended.

“A leader is responsible for the actions of his group, both in success and failure.” Zaheer explained. 

“I see.”

“And I’m beginning to question the end goal of this operation, if you succeed you’ll have an agent who is the very thing the Red Lotus is against: a world leader.” Zaheer had at first rejoiced at finding a successor in Koju, someone could finally unite the scattered remnants of the Red Lotus. However it seemed that Koju did not share the same ideals as he did when it came to the execution of the Red Lotus’ mission. There was little Zaheer could do in spirit alone. He was beginning to fear his apprentice. 

“Master I assure you, the best way to destroy our enemies is from within, if we can succeed then the Avatar will fall in time.” 

That was another problem for Zaheer, while he did believe the natural order of things was chaos, the Avatar had defeated Kuivra, an evil that came about directly as a result of his own actions. He was beginning to see the purpose of the Avatar. “Koju you and you alone will be instrumental in the success of your operation, now if you’ll excuse me, I’m meeting a friend for tea.” 

Koju was discouraged, but he knew better than to question Zaheer. “As you wish.” 

Zaheer waited till Koju had left him in peace to really begin to consider the virtue of his apprentice. Perhaps his own advisor and friend would lend an unbiased perspective. 

I

Tenzin brought his sky bison in a downward spiral beginning his decent towards the courtyard of Air Temple Island. He was truly exhausted from the day, full of bureaucratic nonsense and squabbles, couple that with the new of Lin’s retirement and the daily reports of Air Nomad casualties from defending the supply lines into the city he needed to rest. The sun began to fall behind the horizon sparkling off the sea and creating a long shadow cast by the whole island across the bay. He was exhausted, but glad to be home. He touched down and deftly hopped off the bison giving it a pat on the head. Almost immediately an Air Acolyte rushed to him. 

“Master Tenzin, an urgent communication came in from the Northern Air temple.” The young acolyte held out a hand written note.

“Who is it from?”

“Master Jinora, she contacted us an hour ago.”

Tenzin’s alarm bells were ringing already, he snatched the correspondents out of the acolyte’s hands and began to read. “Urgent news for my father. STOP. Red lotus meeting observed in Xai Bau’s grove. STOP. At least ten in attendance, leader possibly from metal clan STOP. Only name overhead was of a woman named Lok. STOP. Red Lotus planning strike soon. STOP.” Tenzin’s heart raced as he ran for the nearest phone. 

I

Zaheer returned form the spirit world just in time for the door of his cell to start to open, it was dinner time. Though he enjoyed his daily serving of rice and the few words he’d exchange with his prison guard, he had an entirely different thing on his mind. As the guard crossed the threshold he stopped levitating and touched the ground for the first time in months. The guard stopped in his tracks and Zaheer locked eyes with him. “Get me the Avatar.”


	7. Ballroom blitz

Korra eased herself out of the drivers seat of Lin’s speedster, she had gotten better at driving but the drive up to Zaheer’s mountain prison had been a nerve racking one. For one, she dreaded seeing the man that had destroyed her for years. Two Lin’s constant glare ever since Korra ground a gear was a like being looked at by death itself.She looked at the massive doors to the underground prison as the sun finished rising over the mountain they were carved into. While her last visit hadn't been all too hostile, this was the man who had assassinated the Earth Queen, tried to kill her father, and herself. Worse than that for years Korra had wished that they had succeeded, the poison had left her near paralyzed and spiritually destroyed. It had been sheer hell recovering from the attack, and Korra had decided long ago she’d never completely get over what Zaheer did. 

“I’ll do the talking, just try and stay calm.” Lin adjusted her sunglasses and began to stroll towards the door, her metal armor clanking quietly as she did.

_Okay maybe I deserved that._ Korra thought, but she had to admit, she had almost left to interrogate Zaheer a few nights ago and didn’t know if she would’ve stayed calm. Korra nodded to the White Lotus guards who nodded back and opened the stone doors without word. They rarely had visitors and knew in advance when they planned to arrive. “I’ll be calm.” She said to Lin as much as she did to herself. The interior of the prison was a spartan one, it had been converted from an old temple for the singular purpose to hold Zaheer. She followed Lin down a cavernous room with different statues on either side, the guards used it as a break room. There were two stationed at the door leading to Zaheer, and several more who listened to the radio on the only table in the room. Her heart sped up as they began the descent down the stairs to Zaheer, _He’s in prison, he’s powerless now._ She fought to keep her breath from coming in sharp gasps as her heart reached a pounding beat. They reached the bottom of the stairs and the stone door to the elevator loomed at her like it was holding back a deadly venom. _If anything goes wrong I can just bloodbend him in half._ Korra stopped in her tracks. “Uh, Lin, maybe you should go, I…I don’t want to see him.”

Lin raised an eyebrow but understood, she had helped Korra up the stairs to the air temple in a wheel chair years ago, and personally seen how destroyed Zaheer had left her. “Sure thing kid, I’ll let you know what he says.” 

Korra sat down on the last step crossing her arms trying not to give away the fact she was freaking out. She shut her eyes and tried to calm down as the elevator arrived and took Lin away. She couldn’t help but imagine Zaheer being twisted and contorted at her will, slowly beginning to feel as if he had no power, no control, as he began to die. Her heart beat slowed ever so slightly. 

I

Lin patiently waited for the elevator to stop and the massive door to raise, she knew Zaheer had been in prison for almost four years now but she prepared herself for anything. She stepped forward into the massive cell and her heart began to race. Zaheer was lying motionless on the ground, still chained in place. “Zaheer?” She asked, _this reeks of trap,_ She slowly extended a cable across the room and tapped Zaheer on the chest with it. When he didn’t move she grabbed his foot with the cable and tossed him back and forth. It was common for prisoners to play dead in order to get a guard within striking distance. This was one of the less painful ways to check if they were faking it. She retracted the cable and formed it into a sharp blade, carefully she began to approach Zaheer ready to attack. _Something’s wrong, he wouldn’t just die, theres no sign of struggle, no vomit so there wasn't poison involved, no blood._ She approached and knelt by his side quickly checking the pulse on his neck. “GUARDS!”

I

Korra practically earth bent the door to the elevator out of the way and charged into the cell expecting a hostage situation and fully ready to end it. She stopped when she saw Lin crouching by Zaheer’s body. “Lin?”

“He’s dead, no obvious wounds,” Lin answered Korra, and turned to the guards that had arrived with her. “How secure is this prison? Because it seems to me like you have a pretty big problem!”

“Chief I assure you, he was fine when I brought him his breakfast!” The guard to Korra’s right answered. “The only visitor he has ever had was Avatar Korra a year ago. No one has gone in or out except the guards for meals.” 

Korra slowly walked towards the motionless body of Zaheer, she should be feeling shocked and maybe even terrified that someone had killed such a fierce enemy. She completely ignored the medical officer who rushed past her. She loomed over her enemy and stared into his empty eyes. She didn’t know how to feel, but she couldn’t help the feeling of satisfaction creeping over her. She spit on Zaheer and walked out without waiting for Lin.

“Korra!” Lin didn’t know whether to be furious and yell at her or chase after her to comfort her. “You two handle this, I’ll radio the station.” She rushed after Korra who had already sent the elevator upwards again. 

I

Korra’s blood felt like it was on fire, she stormed out of the prison walking blindly past the guards. She reached Lin’s speedster and practically ripped the door from its hinges, she crashed down into the seat and slammed the door shut. She could feel it again, that satisfaction of knowing Zaheer got what he deserved. The only thing that would’ve made it more satisfying is if she had been the one to do it. _Revenge isn’t the answer Korra,_ Her inner Tenzin tried but failed. She hated it, she wanted Zaheer dead and now that it finally happened why shouldn’t she feel happy. She lashed out and punched the metal dash board denting it, rage masking the pain in her hand. She punched it again and again until her hand began to bleed, _why am I not allowed to take revenge and get closure when Zaheer and bastards like him can destroy our lives at will!_

Lin ran up and momentarily forgot about the Avatar and only saw the massive dents in her dash board. “How does your hand feel kid?”

Korra blinked tears away and looked at her bleeding hand. “Fine. Can we just go?”

Lin sighed and got into the driver’s seat beside her, she had an idea of what Korra was feeling. Every time she had an officer die in the line of duty, she personally made the trip to the next of kin and informed them. Watched as the news ripped the family’s hearts in half, and when her metal benders finally captured the killer all she could feel was rage. “Korra, you don’t feel bad about him dying…and I don't blame you. For all he’s done I was surprised you hadn’t killed him.”

“I wanted to.”

“You’re right to, but you can’t let it consume you,” Lin rubbed her keys in her fingers. “I’ve been there, I’ve done that, you chase this feeling of fulfillment under the guise that it’ll make you feel whole again. In the end you just end up feeling like a monster.” 

Korra pulled her knees to her chest and hid her head, she knew Lin was making sense, but it was more than just a feeling of fulfillment. It dawned on her what she really would’ve done if she had left the night Asami stopped her, she would’ve killed Zaheer, and it would’ve felt amazing.

Lin started up the engine and began to drive away, _damn it, what would Tenzin say…_ “I think there is an old Air bender saying about revenge, how did it go…Oh, revenge is like a two headed rat viper, when you take your enemy out you’re being poisoned yourself.” Lin sped away and grabbed the radio to inform the station that Zaheer had been killed.

Korra sat still a steely eyed glare fixed on the blood prints her fist had left on the dashboard, she watched it glint in the rising sunlight and realized something. _I’ve been poisoned before._

I

Mako rolled over his head pounding with a headache, he sat up as soon as he realized he wasn't in his own bed. He looked around the room, and he remembered how last night had ended. When he had entered the room last night he was concentrated on Ren and nothing else, now he looked around the room for the first time in the light. The room looked almost like a hotel room, very neutral with almost zero personal affects. Then he saw the mannequin dressed in full tactical gear with dao swords on the wall behind it. While he now had an intimate relationship with Ren, it was clear she was dedicated to the Kyoshi. He stood up and scrounged for a pair of underwear, her dress and his clothes had been thrown almost torn from their bodies onto the floor. He finally found something to wear when he heard it. The sound of a fight going on. He threw on his underwear and rushed out of the room. “Ren?” He yelled as he rounded the corner of a small hallway leading to a surprisingly small kitchen and living room. He relaxed as soon as he saw her. 

Ren gave the punching dummy one more solid punch to the rubber face, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and gave Mako a friendly wave. “Morning.”

Mako raised an eyebrow, Ren was boxing in what would amount to a swim suit, but the dummy did seem to be taking a beating. “Early morning cardio?”

“Always, say what you want about the Group but we’re all experts.” She wrapped a near by towel around her neck after mopping her brow. “Sorry but I’m not a cook, just a killer.” She said light heartedly. “But I do have some left over breakfast from…its _probably_ still good.”

“It’s okay, I’m not too hungry, I actually feel pretty hungover.” 

“Rookie,” Ren smirked as she strolled from the punching dummy to the small kitchen opening the fridge. “I enjoyed our date Mako.” she said searching through the various containers of leftovers in her fridge. 

“Me too.” _I really did._ He thought as he grabbed the only stool in the kitchen. He realized that there was only one stool, only a few glasses, and one coffee mug. The whole apartment had been set up for only her, with no consideration for guests or friends. “We should definitely do it again.” He ventured but felt a bit hurt when her muscled shoulders dropped. 

“I’d like to Mako, I really would,” She nervously rubbed her bicep.

“But?”

“I’d prefer to keep this…distant.” Ren said immediately taking a drink of milk to shield her emotions. 

“Oh…okay.” Mako said obviously insulted.

“Don’t take it personal Mako.” She offered him a glass of water but he refused.

“How else am I supposed to take it?”

“You’re a really nice guy Mako, an incredible bender, and a great cop, but the Group is more than a job to me. I can’t get distracted in the long term.” Ren started to unwrap her fists. “I’ve tried in the past, and it just doesn’t end up working,”

Mako made a face, despite his splitting headache he hadn’t had a night as good as last night in ages. “Can we at least try?”

Ren took a sip. “I…don’t know Mako.” 

Mako looked at his feet, “I’m going to get dressed, I should get to work,” He watched Ren for a reaction and saw the slightest twinge of sadness before it was shut down. 

Ren sighed, _eventually you’ll need something other than the group you bitch…Then I’ll worry about it then._ She thought but couldn't fight a feeling of regret. She went over to the counter and sifted through the mess of mail and finally found what she was looking for as Mako reentered the kitchen. “Look, I hope you don’t take this as a rejection, but I do want to help, here is our Guru’s card. He can at least help you get some sleep.”

Mako wanted to burn the card but the possibility of getting rid of the nightmares was too good to pass up. “Thank you,” He bent in and kissed her immediately remembering the fiercer kisses they’d exchanged last night. “I hope you change your mind.” He left for the station leaving Ren alone in her kitchen.

_I can’t_ She thought before tossing her glass against the wall shattering it.

I

Mako’s headache was still raging when he reached his desk, the office was alive and buzzing with different detectives working hard on different cases. He hadn’t even had a coffee before a beat cop strolled up to his desk. “Can I help you?” He said with a twinge of distain.

The cop saluted. “Lieutenant detective, a message from council man Tenzin.”

Mako nodded away the salute and snatched the message away from the cop, ripping it open, he wondered what was so important that Tenzin would message him directly. He read the transcript of Jinora’s message. _Lok,_ “Okay so I have a name to go with…” _If I can get a rook to sift through the criminal water bender files I just might get lucky. ‘If you want it done right, do it yourself’ his inner chief Beifong reminded him._ He sighed and slumped his body down onto his desk dislodging a mountain of paper work as he did. He didn’t move till the whole office went silent. His ears perked up and he listened to the net radio in the office. 

“Beifong to station,”

“Chief this is station”

“Get me CSI to the mountain prison, we have a murder to investigate.”

Mako feared the worst, he rushed and snatched the radio away from the cop handling the transmission. “Chief, Mako here, did Korra…” He let his finger slip off the transmit button.

“Negative, suspicious circumstances involving the death of Zaheer, the Avatar was not involved.” 

He gave a sigh of relief and handed back the hand mic to the operator, he almost wanted to hop on his Satocycle and rush to the prison to investigate. But he had an assassin to find, the name and nationality was at least a starting point. He sat back down at his desk and wrote down his plan of action. So far he had two leads, a mysterious airbender, and a water bender named Lok. He rubbed his neck, and settled in for the day, it was going to be a long one. 

I

Kya brought a tray with a full water tribe breakfast down the hallway towards Asami’s room and knocked gently on the door. She had slept in late, barely waking when Lin had left for the day, but she had made sure to make up for the late wake up by being productive. While her mother had influenced her culinary talents, her father’s vegetarian background lent a hand as well. The tray held a kale and possum chicken omelette with a side of noodles with various veggies thrown in to a broth. “Wakey wakey,”

“Come in.” a groggy Asami responded. 

Kya maneuvered the tray into the handle opening the door and smiled as she saw Asami sitting up right, not beaming with happiness but it was clear that she was improving. “Made your favorite.”

_I can’t deny Kya’s cooking skills, no matter how awful I’m feeling._ She put on a brave face and tried to take the tray with her good hand almost tipping it before Kya set it down on her lap. Asami had to adjust her bad hand with her good hand but was able to grip the knife and use her good hand with the fork. “Thank you Kya.” She took a bite and didn’t have to force a smile, she couldn’t quite figure out why, but whatever Kya cooked it was always excellent. “Are you going to stay here today?”

Kya sat on the edge of the bed and shrugged. “Haven’t really gave it much thought, is there anything you want to do today?”

Asami finished chewing another bite before flexing her legs underneath the covers, they hurt less than the previous days and she wondered if she could manage to walk finally. She thought back to Kya’s message the previous day, she was dying to get back to work. The prototype still sat in a smoldering mess in the R&D department. _I can hold a wrench…I think._ “That depends on how much you can help me.”

“I’m all yours.”

“If I can manage it, I’d love to check on my prototype down at headquarters.”

Kya considered, “I think we can manage it, but eat up, you’ll need your strength, I’ll get the car ready.”

I

Asami made it to the car on her own, but the long drive down town and to Future Industries HQ left her needing a wheel chair. Thankfully Kya was enough help and then some, she had brought the wheel chair and helped Asami into the building with zero fuss. She sat in the elevator as the floors dinged by with Kya standing behind her. “I can’t thank you enough,”

“Its the least I can do,” Kya answered honestly. “You’ve given me a place to stay while I’m in the city…and you brought me and Lin back together.” 

Asami smiled, _at least I can still help fix some things._ “I’m glad you and Lin are doing well, she does seem happier, drinks like a fish still, but definitely happier.”

“She’s been drinking ever since she lost her first partner,” Kya recalled less than fondly. “It’s Lin, flaws and all she’s who I want.” 

“That’s so sweet…” Asami smiled, the elevator dinged for the final time and the doors opened to reveal the research and development labs. The damage from her battle had swiftly been cleared but repairs would take longer, however the lab personnel valued effectiveness over aesthetics. As hired workers repaired the ceilings, walls, and floors from various sustained damage the whole floor was alive with noise of various wrenches, tools, and motors running in their respective test chamber. “I missed this.” Asami wished she could stroll through the labs and look in on her favorite developers, but for now Kya pushed her down the hall. There were a few employees that noticed as she rolled down the hallway, each bowed in respect. She politely smiled, usually she’d nearly scold them for being so formal but she was too weak to protest much. “It’ll be test chamber eleven.” She sighed and realized it was obvious which one eleven was, it was cordoned off with police tape and the door had been bent across the hallway. The clean up crew did a decent job but the wheels of Asami’s chair still hit a few chunks of rocks and rubble. Asami motioned for Kya to stop as they reached the control panel of the test chamber, the now shattered window framed the burnt prototype. Asami’s heart dropped. The her attackers had injured her, but nearly destroyed the prototype. She reached forward on the control panel and pressed the intercom button which thankfully still worked. “Sato to front desk, get me Engineer Jade to test chamber eleven as soon as possible.” 

Kya rested a reassuring hand on Asami’s shoulder. “It’s beautiful.”

Asami shrugged. “If its salvageable. If it isn't it’ll set me back months.” 

As if summoned by magic a short woman with jet black hair appeared in the shattered door way. “Mrs. Sato! I’m so glad to see you back in action.” 

Asami smiled, _action is hardly what I’d call it._ “Glad to see you too, Jade this is Kya,”

Jade gave a polite bow and quickly looked over the prototype. “I’ve looked over the blueprints and your notes, your last recording indicated a fuel leak?”

“I hadn’t tracked it down before…well it’s somewhere deep in the fuel system, close to the enter fuel injector.” Asami knew that Jade was her best engineer and was following along closely. “The original fire scorched most of the fuel lines, I don’t know what other damage was caused.” Asami looked down at her bad hand that still pulsed with pain. “I wish I could lend a hand but you’ll have to do most of the work.”

Jade nodded and quickly moved to the chamber. “Just tell me what to do.”

Asami smiled, she had begun to doubt that a trip to the research and development department would help at all. However, seeing her charred prototype and a willing assistant at hand gave her a rush of importance and purpose. “Then let’s get started.”

I

Korra stormed into the kitchen an ran her bloodied knuckles under some water, she cleaned it but didn’t begin to heal them. The stinging and throbbing from her knuckles kept her from freaking out, it was a pulsing reminder that she could feel something other than rage. She flexed her hand stretching the wounds and only stopping when she could barely stand it anymore. She looked around the kitchen wanting to destroy it, Kya had been at work, there was a neatly stacked pile of pans and plates. _Asami, Asami will know what to do._ She left the kitchen quickly jogging up the steps and down the hallway to her room. “Asami?” Korra opened the door without waiting and saw the bed empty, her shoulders fell. 

“Kya and her are out, I think they’re at Future Industries,” Lin called from down the hall, she had only stopped to drop off Korra before heading to the station but had to grab a few things. 

Korra slumped against the door frame dismayed, the phone began to ring. “Lin can you get that?” She was in no mood to act civil on the phone. 

“Beifong here.” 

_I can’t stand it anymore. I need to go to the gym and punch things for a while, or something, anything!_

“Korra, Tenzin is on the phone.”

_Literally the opposite of what I need right now._ She however owed Tenzin more than she could ever repay, so she moved to the phone in her and Asami’s room. “Tenzin?”

“Korra, I heard what happened to Zaheer, but that will have to wait, there’s an urgent situation at the northern refugee camp, they might begin to riot.”

“What?” _Of course they have._ “Why?”

“They’re angry about the conditions of the camps, lack of food.” Tenzin paused. “Its a refugee camp they’re bound to be upset about something. A few air benders and the police are there trying to hold the peace but it isn’t working. We need you.”

_I’m not really in a peace seeking mood right now…_ “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She stormed out of the mansion and jumped into the drivers seat of Lin’s speedster. 

“You’ll need these.” Lin tossed her the keys. “I’m sure you’re already tired of people telling you that violence isn’t going to help. But just take this slow, masses of people don’t reason well.” She jumped over the door into the passenger seat. 

“Avatar, is there something wrong?” Ren strolled up to the speedster from her position on guard. 

“There are some refugees who are apparently starting to Riot,” Korra started the engine almost ready to dismiss Ren. 

“Then you’ll need us.”

“Excuse me?” 

“I’ll leave four to protect the house, the rest will follow you, we’ll be watching over you.” Ren said motioning to a few Kyoshi who were so well disguised in the grounds of the estate that they seemed to appear out of thin air. “You won’t even know we’re there unless you need us.”

“It’s not really necessary.” Korra said, sounding more annoyed than she wanted to. 

“We are supposed to guard and protect the estate and the people it in. I won’t take no for an answer.” 

_I don’t need your protection!_ “Fine.” Korra floored the accelerator and guided the speedster around in a skid out of the gates of the mansion. 

“What did I just say!” Lin yelled over the growl of the exhaust. 

 

I

Mako raised a megaphone and cleared his throat, he was standing on a police barrier at the main entrance to the largest refugee camp near the outskirts of the city. The day had started off pretty badly but steadily got worse, it was easily ninety degrees out and the massive crowd in front of him seemed to be unconsolable. “We are awaiting shipments of food, bandits attacked the supply line and it was stolen. Metal bending officers are personally handling the next shipment and should be here by the end of the week.” 

“End of the week?”

“We haven’t had any food for two days!”

“Fuck you!”

Mako sighed as the barrage of insults and questions from the crowd hit him all at once. “Look we’re trying our hardest to get food to you all.”

“That’s not good enough!”

“Yeah!” a bunch of crowd members screamed. 

_This is not going to end well._ Mako raised the megaphone again but he was interrupted by a Sato speedster screeching to a stop outside the gate to the camp. He saw Korra practically fly out of the drivers seat. She was clearly pissed. “Look, everyone please stay calm we’re going to find a solution. We just need a little more time.” He passed the megaphone off to another cop and hopped off the barrier to meet Korra. “Hey Korra.” 

“Mako, how bad is it?” Korra’s anger was subsided by the throngs of people angrily shouting and chanting. It was a stark reminder of how many people had been displaced when Kuvira had nearly leveled the city. 

“Not good.” Mako answered before getting distracted by the rumble of five Satocycles pulling up alongside Lin’s roadster, he picked out Ren immediately, however the tactical gear and war paint made her more aggressive looking than before. He snapped out of it. “A group of bandits took out a supply train of food and medicine early this morning. It was the third one this month.” He gave her the gist of a longer briefing he’d received in the morning. 

Korra sighed, _so let me get this straight, there is no way to actually help them immediately, only try and stall them until more supplies get here._ Korra hopped up on the barrier and asked for the megaphone from the cop who was being yelled at nonstop. “Everyone listen up, I know you’ve been in this camp for months now, and I know supplies have been scarce, but I will personally track the stolen supplies down and bring them back to you. All that I ask is that you cooperate with the police and act like responsible citizens of the United Republic.” The murmuring crowd slowly subsided. _I can’t believe that actually worked…_ “Thank you for your cooperation,”

Lin was behind her waiting for her to get down off the barrier. “Can you actually back that up?”

“I don’t have a choice now,” Korra said dismayed. “It’ll keep them calm for a while at least. She spotted Tenzin’s sifting through the crowd of police officers around the perimeter fence. If she was going to go after the stolen supplies she’d need his air benders for air support, she waved him over. _A few bandits heads to knock together, just what I need, how hard could it be._ “Tenzin, do you have any info from the nomads guarding the supply lines as to where the stolen shipments have been headed?” 

“They’ve always disappeared quickly, but there is a bandit stronghold to the east of the major supply line. We’ve been wanting to raid the place but its out of Lin’s jurisdiction and the air benders don't have the numbers.” Tenzin answered, _she seems…off somehow._ He couldn't quite put his finger on it but something about her just breathed angry. 

“Damn it.” Korra thought through her options. “How many air benders can help me?”

“We only have about ten in the area, and they’re strictly for defense not offense, you know that Korra.” Tenzin said giving his beard a stroke, _I need to have a word with Lin about her._

Korra looked back at the roadster and spotted the satocycles surrounding it and sighed. “How many bandits do you think are there?”

“It’s a large camp, easily fifty possibly more.” Tenzin realized Korra was still planning on attack. “Korra, an attack would be aggressive and dangerous, you’d need an army to even have a chance.” 

“I know just where to get one.” 

“You’re not thinking of asking Ren are you?” Mako asked annoyed by the idea.

“The Kyoshi have a whole group here, they can spare the people, we can take out the bandits get the supplies back and send a damn good message.” 

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea Korra.” Mako said more because of the Kyoshi Group’s reputation than for his new found problem with Ren.

Lin considered, _it might be a good way for her to get all the anger out of her system, and as long as she doesn't kill anyone and gets the supplies back it could be a win win._ “I think it’s a fine idea.” 

Tenzin and Mako both turned to her, “You do?” they asked in unison. 

“I’ll get Ren involved.” Korra walked back to the roadster and looked around, she finally spotted one of they Kyoshi appearing out of a crowd. It was like watching a pack of wolves begin to move in for the kill, one by one they all closed the distance. 

“Leaving so soon?” Ren asked strolling up to her satocycle. 

Korra looked at Ren’s warpaint, it made her look like a demon out of a play. “You said the Kyoshi are the best in the business right?”

“Sure are” Ren answered confidently. 

“I need as many as you can supply, a large group of bandits stole a supply train worth of food and medicine. We’re going to get it back.”

“How many are there?” 

“Around fifty.”

Ren smiled making her warpaint appear even more sinister. “When do we leave?” 

I

Kya gently arced Asami’s roadster into the driveway as the sun began to set behind the city highlighting the estate in an incredible orange glow. They had stayed at Future Industries for hours, Asami’s assistant with close instruction had disassembled most of the prototype into pieces. Kya was amazed at the level of complexity, and happy that Asami seemed to involved with the process of fixing it, even if she wasn’t strictly hands on. She put the roadster in park and looked over at the comatose Asami. She gently shook her shoulder waking her up. “Sleep well?”

Asami yawned. “Who knew overseeing the work could still be exhausting.”

Kya exited the car and grabbed Asami’s wheel chair beginning to set it up. “Your assistant seemed very capable.” 

Asami nodded and stretched her neck. “Thankfully, I still wish I could tear into it myself but the schedule matters more, I hope she can finish the rebuild before the end of the week.”

Kya opened Asami’s door and helped her out into the wheel chair, she got her settled just as the mansion’s door flew open and Korra stormed out. “Korra? Where are you going?”

Korra froze, she had hoped to leave before they had gotten back, it was easier to say good bye in a note than in person. “The supply lines into the city got attacked again, a whole train car full got stolen and the refugee camp on the north side of the city is out of food.” 

Asami heart skipped a beat. “You’re going to get it back?”

Korra kicked a bit of gravel with her boot. “Yeah.”

Kya was shocked. “You can’t go alone!” 

“I’m not going alone, don’t worry about it,” As if on cue a menacing hum filled the air as a large airship floated into view behind the mansion, the Kyoshi had taken old Fire Nation war ships and made improvements refurbishing them to suit their needs. The old Fire Nation symbol was replaced with a minimalistic logo that resembled a picture of Avatar Kyoshi. Hardly subtle, but this was a vehicle for an all out attack, not a covert operation. “I’m going with them.”

Asami was distracted for a moment, she knew Future Industries had worked on the Kyoshi Air ships. The Fire Nation war ships were relics, but heavily armored, they had installed much faster engines, a platinum skin, reenforced the bow, and equipped the cargo bay with lifting points and equipment. “Korra…are you sure about this? It looks like you’re going to war.”

“The supplies are being held by some bandits, the Kyoshi will keep them busy while we secure the supplies.” Korra answered. “I’ll be fine.” She came over and knelt beside Asami’s wheelchair as the airship came directly overhead. “Be back before you know it.”

Kya looked sternly at Korra. “This is hardly a peaceful solution to the problem.” _She’s using it as an excuse to use her anger._

“I don’t have a choice Kya, the refugees nearly rioted today, they’re running out of food and medicine fast-”

Asami placed a hand on Korra’s chin. “Just be safe,” She leaned in and kissed her.

Korra was taken aback at first but melted quickly into the kiss which was somehow both chaste and longing at the same time. She didn’t want to stop but she broke their kiss and hugged her gently. “Love you.” Korra stood and motioned at the airship which deployed a cable with a platform attached ready to reel her in. 

“I love you too.”

As Korra stepped onto the platform and began to rise towards the airship, Kya’s shoulders dropped, she needed to talk to Tenzin about Korra. _I know she has handled anger before but…if she can’t this time around, a blood bending Avatar, something so evil being wielded by someone so powerful can’t end well._

I

Ren was waiting for Korra as she ascended into the cargo bay, she reached out for the Avatar’s hand and helped her step onto the ship. “Welcome aboard,”

“Glad you could arrange this on such short notice.” Korra said before observing just how much Ren had arranged. The cargo bay held a few weapon racks and two large benches facing each other on either side all filled with Kyoshi warriors, surrounded by a staircase lining the bay. _Damn I really am going to war._

“ON YOUR FEET!” Ren barked and the Kyoshi sprang to their feet. “Avatar Korra has tasked us with a mission, you know your rolls and you will do them well, the spirit of Kyoshi lives on in her. I expect nothing but the best from all of you, be precise, be swift, be deadly. Tonight we fight with Kyoshi herself!” 

Korra was surprised at just how loud the women in the bay cheered at Ren’s short speech, but it was clear they were all motivated. When the cheering stopped she realized she should say something. “I appreciate you all volunteering for this, you have lived up to your reputation as Kyoshi and I know this mission will be in the best hands.”

“Warriors, its about a two hour flight, get your rest and be prepared for war.” Ren turned to Korra. “The bridge is up this way, I’ll brief you more on the plan there.” Ren led Korra up the large metal stair case that surrounded the cargo bay. Then through a door into a hallway lined in pipes and a few other doors. “Our scouts are already emplace, they deployed as soon as you offered us the mission. They’ve radioed back their intel.” Ren spun the wheel on the door at the end of the hall and pulled it open motioning Korra inside the bridge. 

_I knew they were good but damn._ The bridge consisted of a large window lined with different controls and a massive wheel manned by a Kyoshi. Other than that there was more instrumentation and a massive map on opposite walls. The map hung over a table with documents and a smaller map laid out on in. She quickly looked over the map on the table. “This is the bandit camp?” The map was very detailed with guard locations and even the location of the supplies. The camp was situated outside of an old Fire Nation outpost, the outpost itself used to store the stolen supplies, and outside the front gate there was the main camp. It all sat inside two spurs of a mountain. 

“Sure is, our recon element is pretty good, they radioed us the details and sent a messenger with the map they sketched for us. “Intel like this is why we’re so well prepared.”

“How many bandits?” Korra asked looked over the other documents on the table. 

“Your estimate of fifty was a little shy, there seems to be about sixty when there isn’t a raiding party out.” Ren sifted through a pile of paper for the exact report. “Sixtyish they said, with a mix of mainly earth benders and a few fire benders here and there.” 

Korra thought back to the cargo bay holding the Kyoshi warriors, there was maybe thirty of them. “That’s like two to one odds isn’t it?” 

“Trust me, the odds are not in their favor.” Ren pulled out a folded map from a pouch on her tactical vest and laid it on the table. “The air ship will be the main diversion, it will come from the north.” She pointed towards what seemed to be the front of the camp. “First squad will deploy on gliders at phase line alpha. Once the airship directly over the camp second squad will jump in. They’ll do the most of the fighting, with air support from first squad until they’re out of gliding room, at which point they’ll join the ground effort.” Ren looked at the Avatar who was following along intensely. “Meanwhile, the airship will continue to fly over till the old Fire Nation outpost where our intel says they’re holding the train car full of supplies.” My squad, you, and myself will move to secure the supplies fighting off any enemy. The Airship will deploy its lifting cables. We can connect the train car on all for corners and lift it straight up and out. Then the airship will turn around and begin to retrace its path across the camp, cables will drop, first and second squad will exfil on the cables, we’ll have gotten aboard when the train car is secure.” 

Korra scratched her head, the plan seemed excellent, but plans don't always go according to plan. “Is there a backup plan?”

“The recon element has overwatch, they’ve got long range weapons that’ll be able to help at least if something really goes wrong.” Ren assured Korra. “Now, lets get you suited up.”

I

Korra had fought her fair share of fights and then some, she was no stranger to fighting, but even she had a few butterflies in her stomach. She sat in the cargo bay of the airship packed onto the end of the benches holding the squads of Kyoshi warriors. Ren sat right next to her, in similar tactical gear. What Ren had seem to mean by “suiting up” was packing on about forty pounds of equipment and armor. Korra had a radio inside a pack on her back with a hand mic attached, while at first she objected, the instant communication during the operation was essential. Ren had also given her a vest to wear, which consisted of a form fitted piece of ceramic to protect against bent projectiles. Attached to the vest were an assortment of grenades, some explosive and some blinders to disorient enemy. _Red for explosion, white for noise,_ Korra reminded herself and breathed out trying to keep calm. She adjusted the pack on her back as Ren stood up. 

Ren looked at her watch, the airship would near its maximum altitude, with no air bending Kyoshi the higher they got the longer the glider crews were effective. _One, two, three, annnnd…_ “HIT IT!” 

Korra watched as immediately the two kyoshi standing by the side doors opened them and one by one Kyoshi warriors equipped with gliders jumped out into the night sky. She ran through the plan once more in her head. The gliders, then the main attack, then her part to play. Ren sat back down next to her looking like a demon in her face paint and black armor. “How much longer till its our turn?”

“Not long now,” Ren steadied herself on the bench as the airship began to dive. She hated this part, she had complete trust in her crew but it just didn’t feel natural flying straight towards the ground. She concentrated on the mission at hand, _after the dive it’ll be two minutes till phase line delta._ She looked at her watch that was illuminated in the dim red lights of the cargo bay. Even the hastily arranged plans had to go like clockwork. She counted down the last minute and stood up. “GO GO GO!”

Korra watched in awe as the red lights of the bay turned green and the massive cargo bay doors built into the floor dropped open and all most all the remaining Kyoshi jumped out. They were close enough to the ground not to need cables. Immediately she could hear a battle erupt, beneath the airship, even over the steady drone of the engines. Ren motioned to her, and Korra joined her at the edge of the bay floor. The airship had regained some altitude but they could still make out a battle going on. The Airship was equipped with massive floodlights that were trained on the bandits, which kept them almost blinded and the Kyoshi in the shadows. Fire bender bandits lit up the shadows with volley after volley of flame while earth benders used the flames to target the Kyoshi with massive rocks. Slowly but surely they Kyoshi advanced, dropping bandits left and right gaining ground. The front line erupted in a series of explosions sending bandits flying. 

“That was the gliders doing their job!” Ren yelled excitedly.

Korra wondered how many bandits, if any at all had survived, but shoved the thought aside as the battle continued. She saw the massive wall of the old Fire Nation outpost begin to pass underneath the ship. 

“That’s our cue!” Ren yelled and grabbed a cable that hung from the ceiling passing it to the Avatar and grabbing another for herself, three other members of her squad stood ready to follow them down. “NOW!”

Korra attached the cable to her vest and leapt out into the open air immediately falling fast towards the ground. She could see the interior of the outpost below her, and immediately saw bandits waiting for her. She launched a fire ball at them which they moved to dodge. The ground came up to meet her with a hard landing. She quickly disconnected the cable and scanned for bandits. The floodlights of the airship illuminated the outpost’s courtyard high ground on both sides and at least a dozen bandits who immediately began to attack. Korra bent a wall of rock for cover as several small boulders came flying towards her. She lashed out and sent chunks of the rock flying to where she assumed the bandits were. “REN?” 

Ren blocked a fireball with her swords and dove behind Korra’s cover. “Two and twelve o’clock!”

Korra bent the whole rock wall she was using for cover into the air splitting it in half and sending two chunks flying into the directions Ren gave her. She followed them up by a one two punch of fire on two open bandits. She saw the other members of Ren’s squad quickly jump into the fight. The Kyoshi with a pair of war fans rolled under a mid air boulder and smacked the metal fans into the bandit’s knee then followed with a strike to the throat. Another with a katana was blasted back by a ball of flame but quickly returned the strike with a grenade. The explosion was massive almost knocking Korra off her feet and leaving her ears ringing. A third Kyoshi seized the moment and rushed the remaining four bandits with her sword quickly dispatching them with short but lethal swipes. Korra snapped out of it and looked around the court yard for the supplies. “Where are they?” 

Ren’s heart was racing as she dislodged her sword from a bandit’s neck. She immediately looked around the court yard and spotted two massive doors. They belonged to a separate single story building that must’ve once been a stable. “In there!” Ren yelled over another grenade explosion. 

Korra rushed to the doors, as soon as she saw the metal frame to the thick wooden doors she bent them straight off their hinges sending them flying. Immediately she saw the massive train car, the bandits had ambushed it then bent massive slabs of rock underneath to bring it away from the tracks. “ITS HERE!” She ran up and opened the cargo door of the train car and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw crate after crate of supplies. 

Ren brought the last of the bandit’s down with a hard chop to the ribs with her sword and sprinted to the shed where Korra stood. She looked at the roof of the shed, then to the airship. “Bend the roof away!”

Korra obliged, immediately taking a horse stance and ripped the roof away with two quick motions of her arms. She turned to see Ren signal the airship, which quickly lowered four thicker cables. The rest of Ren’s squad ran to meet the cables as they hit the ground, throwing them over their shoulders they ran them towards the train car. She moved out of their way as the Kyoshi latched the cables onto each corner of the car where the wheels were once connected. Ren signaled the airship again and the cables slowly began to tighten and the train car groaned and began to screech its way across the stone floor of the outpost. Korra bent the far corner of earth beneath the train car upwards sending the car sliding faster across the yard. Slowly the cables began to retract and the car rose into the air. “Time to go!” 

Ren waved to her squad who obediently followed her to the Avatar’s location. “You should come along with us more often Korra!”

Korra smiled and took a deep breath before shooting the Kyoshi into the air towards the rising train car on a pilar of earth. She quickly launched herself into the air and rolled onto the metal roof of the train car. Her armor and radio pack making it a tough landing. She nodded to the Kyoshi and Ren who were standing at each cable as the airship began to turn back to the field. Then her radio crackled to life for the first time. 

“Third squad, request immediate assistance! All gliders are down, and we are pinned down by a lava bender and bandits”

Korra looked to Ren. “You make sure this gets back onto the ship!” She leapt off the train car blasting fire from her feet sending her over the fast approaching wall. Immediately she saw, as the airships’s spotlights revealed, the situation was worse than the radio call had led on. Where the camp and field once stood was now spotted with massive pools of lava. The few earth bending Kyoshi had set up a defense of boulders with the rest huddled inside. Korra shot a blast of air at the ground and rolled landing with a thud but quickly hopping to her feet. The lava bender had set himself up on a cooled hill of lava firing boulders over the Kyoshis’ defense. Six or so bandits were edging closer under steady Kyoshi arrow and bender fire. They hadn’t noticed her. _Lava bender first, then the others._ She bent an air scooter beneath her and shot across the lava pool between her and the Lava bender’s hill. She had just made it to the base before He noticed. She launched two arcs of fire aimed for his head and feet, he jumped and ducked through them bringing his fist down on the earth turning it from cooled rock to lava again. Korra leapt into the air on a burst of air and landed close to the Lava bender. She lashed out for his knee with a kick which connected. he cried out in pain but lashed out with a massive closed fist connecting with Korra’s armored stomach. She felt the blow even through the armor. She launched two quick rock strikes which he quickly turned to Lava and fired right back at her. _Okay, let’s see how good you are._ She lunged and punched sending a powerful shot of air at his chest quickly knocking him back. She followed with a one two punch of fire blasts. She ran forward and bent the earth beneath him upwards making him fall backwards. She didn’t see him return fire with a rock the size of her head. It connected square in her chest sending her crashing backwards. Her head painfully smacked the ground, before she realized it the Lava bender was sprinting towards her armed with two orbs of glowing lava. Everything slowed down as she raised her hand, _you’ll pay for that!_ She raised her hand and could feel the liquid in his body as he began to get closer. She could feel his heart pounding in her hands. The lava bender’s chest suddenly erupted and a large chunk of metal flew into the ground in front of him. Immediately he crumpled to the ground, the orbs of lava falling away harmlessly. Korra looked at her outstretched hand, then back at the Lava bender, then at the metal chunk in the ground. Her skin began to crawl as she recognized what it was. 

“Korra move to assist!” Ren yelled through the radio. 

Korra snapped out of the shock of what she saw lying in the dirt and sprinted towards the remaining bandits, there were five of them. She quickly hurled boulders, knocking three of them away. She began to bend a ball of flame big enough to burn the last two when they tensed and fell to the ground revealing arrows deep in their backs. The battle was over. As the cables began to drop Korra looked around at the destruction She and the Kyoshi had caused, the bodies of bandits were strewn everywhere and the pools of lava were beginning to cool. _We got what we came here for. They just got in the way._ She told herself as a cable lowered from the airship, she thought back to the Lava bender. _It had to be the Kyoshi who used that…thing, no one else is in the area._ She hopped off the cable and spotted Ren kneeling over an injured Kyoshi, she absorbed the scene in the cargo bay. A few Kyoshi were lying down obviously badly hurt, another group slumped on the benches tending to minor wounds. The battle had taken a lot out of them, she turned to see the train car safe and sound hanging close to the ceiling of the bay, she knew the Kyoshi would view it as worth it. She looked back at Ren, normally she’d tackle her and end up screaming demanding that she explain what the projectile was and why they used them. As far as Korra saw it however, Ren was the main reason the whole operation had taken place. Ren had earned the right to explain why the Kyoshi and Raiko’s assassin used the same weapon. 

“Korra?” Ren asked.

Korra snapped out of her train of thought. “Ren, how are your warriors?”

“They’ll be fine, a few were badly hurt but nothing fatal, this ended up being quite the successful operation.” 

“I couldn’t have done it without you all.” Korra looked at the hilt of Ren’s dao sword which was coated in blood. “I need to ask you something, privately.” 

Ren looked bewildered but shrugged. “Sure thing, come with me.”

Korra followed Ren up the staircase towards the bridge, she stopped and turned. “I want to thank all of you, your assistance to me and to the Republic City has been invaluable!” She watched as one by one the standing Kyoshi bowed silently. 

“It’s their pleasure to follow Kyoshi into battle, Korra.”

Korra bowed back and began to follow Ren again, watching the hilt of her sword shine with the blood in the dim red light of the hallway to the bridge. She thought back to the feeling of the Lava bender’s pulse in her hand, she shivered. She thought back to the power she had held over her enemy right up until the projectile had ruined it all. She didn’t realize how fast her heart was beating until she reached the bridge. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She followed Ren to the map table. “I need to ask you about some of the weapons I saw down there.”

Ren thought about it as she dropped her radio pack off her shoulders and began to take off her armor. “What specifically?” 

“The Lava bender I was fighting, he was taken out right before I—before I could finish the fight,” Korra finished.

“By a long sharp metal chunk?” Ren said placing her gear underneath the map table and sitting on the table top. 

Korra nodded. “Yes.” She watched Ren’s face for signs of lying. 

“That was our recon team, the smoke from all the lava and fire prevented them from taking out the Lava bender earlier. Once you distracted him they finally could see enough to get a clear shot.” Ren explained.

_Well she isn’t lying._ “Ren…something like that weapon was used to kill President Raiko.”

Ren crossed her arms. “You don’t think it was any Kyoshi do you?” She said clearly offended. 

“No! Of course not, but none of the police or anyone around town has seen anything like it before.” 

Ren nodded. “We call them long range spears, or LRS,” 

A shock ran though Korra’s body. “Did Asami develop them for you?”

“No, all our Future Industries equipment is on the more technical side, we make our LRS in house. An old Kyoshi warrior thought it up and we decided to test it out.” Ren shrugged. “Trouble was not everyone can bend metal, so we ended up making them out of platinum with either a bit of water or earth inside.”

_Looks like I just found a good ole’ fashioned lead._ “We need to get this info to Mako as soon as we get back to Republic City.” 

“Roger that,” Ren immediately walked over to the pilot.

Korra watched and felt as the airship noticeably sped up, the whole airship seemingly shoved itself forward. Ren’s gear clanked as it fell over underneath the table. Korra crouched down and pushed it back into place, she saw the sword hilt again, still gleaming with blood. Without even realizing it she reached her hand out and grabbed the hilt. Pulling back her hand she could feel the sticky consistency of the dark red blood on her hands. She leaned quietly on the table looking at her hand in the more intense light of the bridge. She held her other hand up and made a swirling motion with her fingers. The blood obeyed obediently and moved off her palm, it was like she was watching someone’s life float in between her hands. She stared intently moving her fingers back and forth, watching the blood twinkle in the light as it moved slowly through the air. She sighed, feeling more relaxed than she had the whole night.

I


	8. A dish served cold

Please review!

chapter 7:

 

Korra stood on the balcony, of her and Asami’s room watching the Kyoshi war ship fly slowly away. After thanking the Kyoshi once again, she instructed them to drop the supplies at the refugee camp. She figured the information about the assassin’s weapon could wait till morning. She hefted her armor off her shoulders and dropped it on the balcony, she wanted to return it to the Kyoshi but they refused saying she had earned it. She stretched and rolled her shoulders. The sun wasn’t coming up for another few hours but the entire skyline was alight with green and blue lights slowly arcing through the night sky. She turned and opened the doors to the room, the moonlight spilling in highlighting the sleeping Asami. Korra smiled, she hadn’t realized it until it been happening for a while, but her heart almost jumped for joy every time she saw her. She crept quietly into the bathroom, silently closing the door and flicking on the lights. She turned the shower on to as hot as she could stand it and began to undress.

The bathroom was a small one as this was only a guest room, but it still had enough room for a large sink, toilet, and floor to ceiling mirror. Korra’s bare feet traipsed across the cold tile bringing her in front of the mirror, close enough that her breath fogged it slightly. She looked herself in the eyes and took a deep breath. _It’s okay, it’ll all be okay._ She thought to herself unsure as to how much of that was a lie. The condensation from the shower began to fog the room as she noticed her hands. Her heart picked up, in the dim lights of the airship and the night she hadn’t noticed the little splotches of dried blood. She thought she had bent it all off but it clearly had stuck around. Underneath her finger nails and in between her fingers, just enough left to make her skin crawl. She rushed over to the sink and scrubbed furiously at the little bits of blood. She scrubbed but kept finding more and more little bits of blood hidden on her hands. She scrubbed more and more. _There…all gone._ She stepped away from the sink and immediately caught sight of herself in the mirror. The scream caught in her throat before it escaped, she was covered in blood, her heart pounded. She looked at her forearms which were soaked and dripped blood onto the white tile floor. She looked back in the mirror and immediately threw a punch shattering the mirror into a million pieces. _GET IT OFF GET IT OFF! GETITOFF!_ She practically dove for the shower, the warm water hitting her like a firehose she began to hyperventilate as the water flowing into the drain turned dark red. She screamed. 

I

Korra sat up immediately, her scream shattering the quiet night. She frantically looked at her forearms and her body expecting to see the thick coating of blood. Her heart pounded in her chest. 

“Korra!” Asami grabbed her as she sat up in bed next to her. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” 

Korra jumped as she felt Asami grab her almost falling off the bed. 

“Korra! Korra! It’s okay! It’s okay!” Asami consoled “You’re safe. You’re okay.”

Korra inhaled like she had just survived a drowning, her heart was still exploding in her chest. She tried to talk but could only breathe in sharp hard gasps. Tears spilled out of her eyes as she pulled her legs to her chest letting her head rest on her knees. 

“Korra, talk to me.” Asami wrapped her arms around her. “You’re safe. You’re here in bed with me.”

Korra was no stranger to nightmare’s but that one in particular had felt all too real, she could feel the blood running down her skin. She tried to force out a sentence between gasps. “I…” She cried. “Just a dream.” 

“It’s okay Korra, it was just a dream, you’re okay.”

“I’m okay.” Korra repeated. _I’m okay._ “Asami…”

“I’m here Korra. I’m here.” 

Korra checked her arms for blood again, finally seeing nothing. She took a deep breath and it finally slowed, her heart pounded away in her chest as she let herself lay back down. “Asami…it was so awful.” She ran her hands down her arms still feeling the warm stickiness of being soaked in blood. She breathed in sharply. 

“It’s okay Korra.” Asami embraced her carefully maneuvering her bad hand around her girlfriend’s wide awake body. “It’s okay.”

_Its okay…its okay…its…okay._ Korra slowed her breathing. “I’m sorry…”

Asami kissed Korra on the jaw. “What for?”

“I…I…”

“Korra, just got back to sleep, you’re safe here, you’re safe.” 

_I’m safe…I’m safe…I’m safe…_ Korra thought as she realized just how exhausted she was. _I’m with Asami…I’m safe…I’m with Asami…I’m safe…_

I

Kya placed the kettle down on the stove and ramped the heat up with a twist of the knob, she had woke up uncharacteristically early but had made the most of it. She had almost immediately headed to the kitchen and begun her work. The Sato household was in for a treat, whole wheat pancakes with apple syrup couple with an assortment of scrambled egg and sautéed veggies. Lin was the first in, nursing an uncharacteristically light hangover. She selected just the eggs and veggies. “Morning love.”

Lin blushed. “Love, eh?”

Kya only winked in return, she flipped her own feast in a frying pan, she only made the dish when she had extra time. Nursing the flavor out of sea prunes required the utmost attention, when the flavor was added to a sea urchin broth in which soba noodles soaked it was possibly the best breakfast Kya knew of. Besides her mother’s sea weed and otter penguin bacon omelets. She flipped it for the last time as Asami slowly entered the kitchen. “Asami, good morning!”

Asami who was dressed in a dressing gown and robe smiled and hobbled to the kitchen table. “It smells delicious Kya.”

“I hope it tastes as good as it smells.” Kya Served herself her omelette before assembling a plate of pancakes and scramble eggs for Asami. “Here you go.”

Asami used her good hand to take a large amount of scrambled eggs from her plate to her mouth. “Definitely tastes as good.” 

Kya smiled and joined the two ladies at the table. “Busy day ahead of you Lin?”

Lin was busy closing the lid on her flask. “Huh? Oh! Yeah, actually we’re busy with the Zaheer investigation, but the refugee camps still need our attention.” 

Asami finished a bite of pancake. “Do you think we can head to the R&D department again? I’m, dying to see what progress Jade has made.”

“I don’t see why not, I’ll use it as an excuse to stock up on groceries.” 

Lin took a drink of her coffee, which was probably about half whisky, and read through the morning paper. Even with half the department stores destroyed the ads for the latest fashions and accessories filled the pages. Lin sighed as she searched for something worth reading, raising and eyebrow at an ad for the Southern Water Tribe festival as she did. She briefly recalled Kya asking her to go but something with the department had taken precedence. The gears began to spin in her head. She folded the paper and flopped it down on the table taking another bite of her food. She looked at the Water Tribe girl across from her and smiled. She deserved a nice night out without cooking or caring for Asami or the other ladies in the house. She was about to speak when the kettle began to whistle. “I’ll get it.”

Korra crashed into the swinging door and shuffled towards the howling kettle. Swiping it off the stove barely acknowledging the full table. 

“Morning Korra” Asami greeted happily. 

“Feeling alright?” Lin asked genuinely concerned, she knew Korra wasn’t a morning person but she was looking more disheveled than normal. 

Kya quietly ate her noodles, she knew that according to the awful aura Korra was putting out she was not feeling alright. 

Korra took a swig of her tea and ignored the heat searching for the kick of caffeine. “I’m fine…tea?” She poured one for Asami and Kya who accepted. 

“Help yourself to the breakfast.” Kya smiled even though Korra’s aura was practically threatening. 

Korra immediately shoveled a few pancakes onto her plate and doused them in syrup. She sat down at the table next to Asami and dug in wordlessly. She was still shaken from the nightmare, it felt all too real. She even checked before coming down here for the little specs of blood she’d found in the dream. She tried to concentrate on the tea in her cup, bending it around the cup with a swirl of her fingers, trying not to think of the blood. She took a deep breath and remembered she had to tell Lin about what she’d discovered. “Lin, the weapon Raiko’s assassin used, the Kyoshi have the same kind of weapons. They called them long range spears.”

“Are you sure?”

Korra’s fingers froze as as she remembered the Lava bender’s chest exploding. “Yes, I’m sure,”

“I’ll have to tell Mako and get a detective down to their HQ to investigate.” 

“Did you get the supplies back?” Asami asked placing a comforting hand on the Avatar’s muscled shoulder. 

“Yeah, we kicked ass, the supplies should have landed at the refugee camp a few hours ago.”

“Did you use it?” Kya asked bluntly 

“What?” Asami asked.

Korra broke out in goosebumps. “No…of course I didn’t.” She clenched her hands as she could feel the beat of the Lava bender’s heart again. _Did i?_

Lin nodded as she figured out what Kya had meant. “Look Korra, I know I’m somewhat to blame for you finding out how to blood bend.”

“More than somewhat Lin.” Asami lashed out defending Korra. 

Lin ignored the jab. “It’s still illegal Korra, and beyond that its just evil. I know that kinda power must feel addicting but you can’t use it.” 

_It feels better than addicting._ “Look I didn’t use it alright? The last thing I need is you two turning on me!”

“Will everyone chill out!” Asami slammed her tea cup down. “Even if Korra did use blood bending she’s not going to turn evil,” 

The trio of arguing ladies shut up like they’d been yelled at by their teacher, Korra smiled at Asami. _At least someone has some faith in me._ “I’ve got it under control.”

Kya wasn't convinced but she decided to leave it. “I’m going to get ready for the day, Asami, just let me know when you want to go.”

Asami nodded and sipped from her tea. “How was Ren Korra?”

Korra thought back to the armored demon sitting next to her on the bench in the airship. “She seemed great, damn good fighter, couldn’t have got the supplies back without her.” Korra explained after finishing a bite of pancake. 

“She was always a fierce one,” Asami reminisced. 

“Is there any reason to suspect any Kyoshi?” Lin asked casually. 

Korra looked almost insulted, but then realized she was right to suspect them. “I don’t think so, Ren said they make the spears in house but how hard could it be to make something like that.” Korra countered. “I owe them one Lin, don’t go barging in arresting people.”

Lin smirked. “Me? Never.”

I

Ren rolled over and slammed her hand down on her alarm clock, and debated sleeping the day away instead of getting up. They’d dropped off Avatar Korra at the estate then immediately began the flight towards the refugee camp. After they’d dropped the supplies they headed back to the Kyoshi’s airfield. From there it was an hour ride to headquarters where the injured Kyoshi were cared for, and the non injured were debriefed on the battle. Ren hated it but she knew how necessary it was, the after action reports highlighted what their short comings were and how they could improve in battle. They even had Varrick-Li industries mover cameras installed in the airships to film the battle. However at night the film only caught so much, and every so often an enemy bender would get in a lucky shot. The group relied on intel fresh from the Kyoshi themselves. She hadn’t even begun to ride home till the sun was beginning to rise. It felt like she was covered in concrete as she moved to get out of the bed. She stumbled into the empty kitchen and put the kettle on, she sighed and opened the fridge. _One of these days you’ll run out of left overs._ She searched, purposely avoiding the container from the Garlon restaurant. She settled on a container of soba noodles, letting the cooled and congealed mass of noodles spill out into a pot which she placed on the stove. She got a glass of water for herself and sat on the kitchen counter in her pajamas. She hated the quietness of mornings like this, last night she’d been in a life or death battle with almost one hundred of her sisters. People who she would’ve gladly laid down her life for, and they would’ve in return. Now she sat alone in her kitchen waiting for an inevitably disappointing breakfast. It was policy to have the day off after a battle, a policy she wanted to ignore but her supervisors frowned upon it. She had an entire day to fill, she sighed and poured her warmed noodles into a bowl. She jumped off the counter and waltzed over to the record player next to the boxing dummy in her small living room. It was a slow number, with a violin and chimes in the background, perfect for a slow morning. She half fell onto the couch and slurped at her noodles. Staring at the wall, every idea she came up with either wasn’t feasible or actually all that fun. She sighed slurped the last of her noodles down. _Maybe I’ll just go to work._

I

Chairman Tsusamo adjusted his tie as he waited for his cue, he was a tall and balding man dressed in a suit. The suit he had bought out of a store to give the effect that while he was professional enough to own a suit, he was not wealthy enough to tailor it. The suit and the act he was about to put on was all a lie. He owned a dozen suits that he deemed too nice to wear to a refugee camp. He didn’t even live at the camp, however for the past few days he had been visiting enough so that some people would be able to believe it. He had paid a vagabond to pass out flyers for his speech. To his delight there was quite the crowd gathered. He got a nod from one of his hand picked supporters and jumped up on a crate of supplies. “Citizen’s of Republic City!” He waited to make sure he had been heard. “DO YOU WANT OUT OF THESE CAMPS?” He smiled as about twenty more heads turned his way. “Do you want to restore Republic City to what it once was?” He waited till the crowd increassed. “Do you want your old prosperous lives back?” He smiled. “I have been with you from the very beginning!” He paused as more people began to turn and listen. “I have watched as a powerful madman conspired to bring our government to its knees, as a spirit of pure evil attempted to destroy our city. I was there with you on the day of Kuvira’s invasion, and I am here with you now!”

He smiled and watched the crowd increase. “One thing that remains the same as our city has been attacked, destroyed, and rebuilt is our resolve and our determination. I know our lives in the refugee camp have not been comfortable, but we as Republic City citizens will persevere!” Chairman Tsusamo let the applause die down, _like putty in my hands._ “The United Republic has survived, not because of our Army, not because of the actions of any single man or woman. But because of each and every citizen’s commitment to the Republic as a whole. You, as a citizen, are the republic! You as a citizen of republic are strong! Us joined together as the Republic are invincible!” The crowd cheered. “We are invincible! We are the Republic! We are strong! We will persevere!” Chairman Tsusamo let the applause die down. “In just one short month an election for the next President of the republic will be held, the other nominees have there own interests at heart. My Interests are solely for the the Republic, my first order of business will be taking care of every single one of us in the refugee camps! Vote Tsusamo! Vote for the Republic! Vote for yourselves!” 

I

Mako sat on a long couch in Guru Arjan’s office, it was a medium sized office, with a few plants, paintings, and neutral lighting. All of it seemed to be put in place to put the patient at ease, but for Mako it just served to set him further on edge. It was like he was about to be dissected on the couch he sat on. The Guru himself however was genuinely welcoming and calming. Mako hadn’t met many gurus but Arjan fit the bill. Almost sickly looking with a long bushy beard and bald head, dressed in flowing robes that made Mako think of the Air Nomads. He waved away a cup of tea the Guru offered. 

“So you were referred to me by my good friend Ren?” Arjan spoke with a thick accent, before sipping from his tea.

Mako shifted uncomfortably on the couch. “Yeah, I met her recently through work, she recommended you.”

“Tell me about yourself Mako.” Arjan lit a stick of incense and gently bent the smoke around the room. “I sense a warrior in you.”

Mako raised his eyes and shrugged. “I grew up with my brother, Bolin, on the streets here in the city. Was a pro-bender for a while, helped the Avatar fight the equalists, joined the police force. Worked as a body guard and fought against Kuvira during her invasion.” 

“That’s little more than what I’ve read in the papers about you, Mako.” Arjan took a sip of tea. 

“Well there is not much else to tell.” _Relax. He’s here to help you not incriminate you._

“Mako, you can tell me anything, I am a spiritual healer, that is my purpose in life.” Arjan bent the smoke into a spiral around the two of them. “And I sense a purpose in your life.”

“You do?” Mako considered the idea, he had always just rolled with the punches, his brother needed food so he became a criminal. He and his brother needed money so they became pro-benders. He was offered a job as a cop, with steady pay and benefits, so he became a cop. 

“I do indeed Mako,” Arjan took a deep breath and exhaled. “Much like Ren’s purpose is the path of the warrior, yours is the path of the protector.”   
Mako chewed the inside of his lip. “Okay…”

“You mentioned your brother? But not your parents.”

“They…were killed when I was younger.”

“And who took care of you and your brother.”

“I did. Who else would’ve?” Mako asked slightly indignant. 

“The desire to protect is as strong as your desire for life Mako, I can sense it, please join me in the lotus position.” Arjan closed his eyes and bent more incense smoke around them.

Mako rolled his eyes, _‘He can at least help you sleep.’_ Ren’s advice echoed in his head and he pulled his legs in and adjusted himself into the Lotus position with his hands resting on his knees. “Okay…what now?”

“You protected your brother, who else have you protected?”

Mako shrugged. “I guess Korra, but she can handle herself, I guarded Prince Wu for a few years, and I was on President Raiko’s personal security detail for a while…” 

Arjan raised an eyebrow as Mako’s aura tensed. “The late President was a great man.”

“Yeah…” 

He ventured further. “One you protected?”

“If I did he wouldn't be the _late_ president, now would he?” 

“Mako I can feel that for you a great deal of stress and sorrow stems from what happened to President Raiko.”

_No shit._

“This same sorrow exists elsewhere in your past and even in your present. This is what is causing your, as the Kyoshi call it, battle fatigue.” Arjan didn’t open his eyes as he bent another circle of smoke around Mako. “The thing about fatigue is it can be overcome, but in order to overcome fatigue healing and rest must take place.” Arjan took a deep breath. “The healing process will be difficult Mako, it will require that you revisit memories and days that cause you the pain you seek to eliminate. Are you ready?”

_I’ve already lived them all once, how bad could it be?_ “I’m ready.”

I

Tenzin took a long look down his nose at the corpse of Zaheer on a metal table, he was in the basement of police headquarters, “the cooler” as Lin called it. It lived up to its nick name, the fridge air and walls filled with square holes holding the bodies of deceased criminals gave even Tenzin the chills. “No evidence of foul play at all?”

Lin shook her head and grabbed a chart hanging off the end of the table. “Everything normal…for a dead guy anyway.”

_Where have I seen this before…_ He shrugged, while he needed to find out who killed Zaheer, he did briefly recall the battle between the Red Lotus and himself. They’d nearly killed him, and tried to destroy the Air Nation. _One can only muster up so much sympathy for a terrorist._ “Lin, you’ve been watching over Korra haven’t you?”

“Yes,” Lin bent her flask out of her armor. “She ain’t doing too hot.”

“Where was she the night Zaheer was killed?”

“Probably at home,” Lin shrugged capping her flask. “I saw her at dinner and she went to bed.”

“Probably?” Tenzin hated to consider it but Korra had the most motivation of anyone to want Zaheer dead. _Especially with the way she’s been acting lately…_ “She could’ve snuck out.”

“I doubt it, Asami can confirm her alibi, either way I don’t think she killed him. It would’ve been pretty brutal if she had, there’s not a mark on him.”

Tenzin raised an eyebrow but shook the thought away. “So we have zero leads?”

“Not necessarily, Mako is supposed to be heading up this investigation but he’s at some doctor or guru or whatever. He said he might have a name on the Assassin thanks to your daughter’s info. As well as a dead member of the hit squad they sent after Asami, an Airbender, should be easy enough to track down. We also have lead on the weapon the Assassin used, its a Kyoshi Warrior Group special, which raises all the red flags.” _No leads my ass Mr.pacifist._

Tenzin mulled this over as he looked at the corpse in front of him. “I’ll look into the air bender, I still have nomads going after reports and sightings of new air benders.” Tenzin looked at Zaheer, _‘it would’ve been pretty brutal if she had’ not a mark on you, a fighter and spiritual master like you taken out with out a fight…_ “Lin there was nothing to indicate foul play at all?”

“Not so much as a burn mark.” 

It hit Tenzin like a ton of bricks, _no marks, no signs of foul play, in the physical world._ “Lin, he didn’t die from a physical wound, his soul left his body.” Tenzin explained. 

_Shit._ “So he’s in the spirit world? _Free_?”

I

Mako was sweating bullets, Arjan had led him into another room, this one much different from the office before it. The whole room was a wood material floor to ceiling, a platform of stone provided enough room for the two of them to sit. Surrounding the platform were metal boxes filled with scalding hot coal making the room glow an ominous red. They sat in the lotus position surrounded by a swirling cloud of incense smoke. “The first time I ever felt scared?” 

“Yes, Mako, clear your mind, and think back,”

Mako clenched his teeth as his parents came to mind. “I…”

“Mako, to overcome your stress you must see what causes it, I promise you are safe to do so here.” 

Mako wasn’t feeling so sure about the whole idea anymore. He gritted his teeth and breathed deep. “The first time I ever felt scared was when…” Mako swallowed. “When Mom and Dad were killed…”

“I want you to take me through that event, it’s painful I know, but try.”

Mako closed his eyes, the heat felt made it feel like he was being cooked alive. “I was in my room with my brother. We were told to go play for a while when this strange man came to the door…” Mako could feel the tears starting to build.

“Mako, whatcha reading?”

“A story about Avatar Aang,” Mako returned to the pages sitting on his bunk bed. 

“Who’s that?”

“Go play Bo.” Mako shooed his brother away, he continued to read till a plastic block sailed across the room and hit him square in the head. “OW!” Mako clenched his teeth. “Bolinnnn! stop!” After a stifled giggle another block flew towards Mako. He brought his book and cocked his arm back ready to throw but stopped as he heard a crash coming from the living room. 

“SAN!” 

Mako had never heard such a shrill scream before in his life, instantly his blood ran cold. “Bolin… _stay_. _Here_.” Mako dropped the book and walked across his shared room, he reached for the door handle like it would bite him. He took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping out into the hallway he closed the door. Hoping Bolin would listen for a change. ‘ _Arms up, slow but steady strides, be ready to strike’_ Dad’s lesson echoed in his head. Their apartment was a small one, there was a short hallway connecting his room with his parents’ and the living room. As he approached the living room he could sense something bad had happened. The smell hit him first, something was on fire. The living room was laid out with the couch at the end of the hallway facing their radio and the kitchen to the left of that. Mako was only just getting old enough to be able to see over the tall old fashioned couch. He rushed over to the other side of the couch in his fighting stance. Only then did he see the pair of feet sticking out. “ _DAD!_ ” 

Mako felt like he’d been hit with a bucket of cold water, instantly snapping out of his trance and springing to his feet. Tears burned down his face. “I…”

“Mako, please continue, we were making good progress.” 

The tears still choked Mako’s voice down, he felt his chest tighten, _I have to get out of here!_ He burst through the door, the cooler air of the office hitting him like a wave. He rushed through practically running and burst out the door. He ran down the flight of steps two at a time and didn't stop till he exploded out of the door onto the streets. The sobs hit him first, that wrenching suffocating cry that comes from your stomach. He collapsed falling back onto the concrete, sobbing like he hadn’t in years. 

I

Korra had returned early from the refugee camp which had calmed down since they had food and medicine again. She sat on the balcony of her and Asami’s room, relaxing in a rocking chair, her feet up on the railing. Naga was already fast asleep next to the chair.She was practically nodding off, her bruises from the battle with the bandits were still healing, and the day had dragged on. She stared off the balcony looking out at republic city, the orange sun setting against the green of the spirit portal with skeletons of skyscrapers in front of it all. She smiled, she could just about see Future Industries tower where her girlfriend was no doubt hard at work. She imagined her with that cute scowl on her face that she made when a bolt was stuck or a she scraped her knuckles against a piece of metal. Her head drooped to one side and her eyes lids began to close. She was snoring loudly within a matter of seconds. 

I

Korra sat down at her place at the table, next to Asami, opposite Kya who sat next to Lin. The dinner had been something special, a feast to celebrate the Southern Water Tribe festival down town. Kya had gotten a slow cooked arctic hen from the festival, but cooked the rest of the fixings herself. Vegetarian dumplings, sea weed chips, soup and soba noodles, Korra was in paradise. “Thanks—” She chewed and swallowed a whole dumpling. “Kya!”

Kya smiled as she scooped more noodles onto her plate. “Glad you like it.”

Asami slurped down some noodles. “I need to get your recipe for these, they’re addicting.” 

Lin finished a dumpling. “Sorry we couldn’t go to the festival Kya,”

“Maybe next year, once you’re retired.” Kya winked and cut a slice of hen. 

“When are you officially retiring Lin?” Korra asked momentarily without a bite of food in her mouth. 

“Should be this next week, Detective Barzoon’s change of command ceremony is set for friday.” Lin plunged a seaweed chip into the bowl of dip. 

Asami smiled and cut a piece of hen for Korra. “We better have front row seats.”

Lin nodded between bites. “Of course.” 

Kya got up from the table and moved quickly over to the freezer, she pulled out a bottle and brought it over to the table. “I think that calls for a toast.” She quickly poured four shot glasses.

“To a happy retirement!” Asami raised her glass first.

Korra gulped down the last of a dumpling and raised her glass clinking it together with the three other ladies. She threw it back and swallowed with one gulp, immediately coughing. “Phew,” She caught her breath and looked in the glass. Her heart skipped a beat, a silvery liquid residue dripped down the side of the glass. Immediately Asami began coughing, followed quickly by Lin and Kya. Korra’s heart exploded. “What’s wrong?” She reached out to help Asami who was clutching at her throat unable to breath. 

“Korra.” She choked out.

Korra stood motionless, helpless, as the three women began to fall out of their chairs unable to breathe. “Asami!”

Asami looked up through tear filled eyes her lungs ready to burst in her chest. “Help.”

_WHAT DO I DO?_ Korra screamed inside her head unable to do anything but watch Asami choke to death. “Asami…I don’t know what to do…”

Asami began to shake on the floor, unable to breath and slowly dying. 

Korra was crying now, her tears coming in giant drops down onto the floor. “Asami NO!” As Asami’s shaking and fighting for breath began to slow, Korra could hear it, a sinister laughing. She turned and saw Zaheer standing in the doorway. Immediately she launched a ball of fire. Then another, which Zaheer dodged easily, it was like fighting a gust of wind. She adjusted her aim as he vaulted over the stove onto the other side of the kitchen. _DO IT NOW!_ She reached out with her hands open, instantly she could feel the heart beat of the man who had caused her so much pain. Immediately she grabbed a hold of it, and watched as Zaheer tensed and froze, like a puppet on a string. She held onto him like a poisonous snake, feeling his pulse in her hands she brought him closer to her, bringing him to his knees on the tile of the kitchen. _Finally._

Zaheer fought back against the blood bending letting out a laugh. “You can’t fight me, and the poison!”

Korra screamed as, from out of no where, chains whipped through the air wrenching her arms and legs out from her control. The kitchen began to fall away until she could feel immense heat, she blinked and she saw she was surrounded by the Red Lotus once again. She struggled against the chains as Ghazan and Ming-Hua readied deadly strikes. “When I get out of here, none of you will survive!” She screamed fire as they launched their strikes. 

I

Korra screamed, scaring Naga who immediately jumped up ready to protect her, she caught her breath as she realized she was still on the balcony of Asami’s Estate. Her heart pounded in her chest as a cold sweat still dripped down her forehead. _Okay, relax, you’re safe…you are safe…you are safe._ She reclined in the chair and breathed deep, and smirked as Naga licked her hand in reassurance. “I’m okay girl,” 

“Are you?” 

Korra turned to see Asami walking towards the balcony, with a noticeable limp but still walking unaided. “Asami!” She rushed to hug her being careful to not hurt her. “I had the worst dream.” She wrapped her arms around her holding her close with her face in her neck. 

“It was just a dream,” Asami nuzzled into Korra’s embrace. “You’re safe with me now...I'm safe with you.” 

I

Lin sat back at her desk and flopped another report onto the pile on her desk, she’d been at it all day, she had only a few more reports to go. She reclined back in her chair and stretched, she looked at the clock on her desk, the Souther Water Tribe festival was about to kick off. She sighed and took out her flask, she surveyed the office she had called hers for the past twenty years. For her it felt like sixty, she fondly remembered the days when she was just a beat cop and didn’t have to worry about massive amounts of paperwork or meetings. She reached out and touched the gash in the desk top she had made by slamming her armored wrist down onto it one day. She looked out onto the office through the glass and slits in the blinds, only Mako and the radio operator remained. She’d spent many nights in the office, helped by tea and whisky, she looked down at the piles of reports. _What are they gonna do? Force me to retire?_ Lin laughed out loud and stood up with a new mission in mind. She locked the door to her office and headed across the office. “Night you two, Mako, give Korra and Tenzin a call to keep them updated.”

Mako stared at the file he was reading.

Lin paused. “Mako?” 

Mako snapped out of it, his eyes still red from crying earlier that day. “Roger that Chief.”

“You okay kid?”

Mako’s voice caught in his throat for a second. “I’m fine, thanks Chief.” 

Lin shrugged, she’d had enough bad days to know what Mako wanted was some privacy, she quickly made her way down the stairs to the main floor of the police station. She smiled, there was something fun about skipping out on work to have some fun instead. _I can’t wait to see the look on her face._ She threw open the doors and waltzed onto the side walk with a certain joy in her stride. The Souther Water Tribe festival was only a few blocks away. They were opening the new cultural center and in celebration partying like only the Southern Water Tribe could. She walked quickly and soon she could hear the band playing, a slightly slow but happy tune. She turned the corner, the festival was set up in a large intersection, food on one street, games, vendors, and seating on the others. In the center was a large throng of people dancing happily. _Where is that old hag?_ She smiled and rolled her eyes, she was a detective after all, she began to search. The music playing in the background, she weaved her way through the crowd looking for the woman she was retiring for. She sifted further through the crowd, she paused and scoped out a flower stall. _Perfect._ She quickly made her way through the moving crowd to the flower stand. “One moon flower, please.” She paid and left without waiting for change, guarding the delicate flower from the crowd. She stepped through a break in the crowd, the break separated the dance floor from the festival itself. She gave the area a quick scan, and smiled as she saw her. The dance floor was lined with small paper lanterns hanging from the light posts on either corner. The whole crowd was lit with a dim glow, leaning up against a light pole in the corner was Kya. Lin smiled and watched for a moment, the old water bender leaned against the pole and sipped on a undoubtably strong but tasty drink. Her gray hair flowing down onto her shoulders, dressed in an unusually formal dress. Lin moved in for the kill, she sneaked her way around making sure not to be seen. She moved into position behind Kya and tapped her on the shoulder. 

“I’m not really looking for a dance— _Lin_?” 

Lin smiled and held up the moon flower which soaked in the moonlight quite nicely. “Hey.”

“I thought you couldn’t make it?” Kya asked clearly happy. 

Lin shrugged. “I’m retiring.” 

Kya rushed in and kissed Lin making the earth bender blush. “I love you.”

Lin smiled and tied the moon flower to Kya’s wrist. “I love you too.”

Kya smiled as a deep blush came over her. “May I have this dance?” 

Lin went rigid. “I don’t dance Kya. You know that.” 

Kya rolled her eyes. “Tonight you do, just follow my lead,”

Before Lin could object she was pulled onto the dance floor just as the music turned to a slower water tribe classic. She took a deep breath and relaxed, she was in good hands. She gently held Kya’s hands in hers moving slowly but purposefully following Kya’s every turn and twirl. They moved in a slow orbit on the dance floor, letting the flow guide them where it may, as they looked into each others eyes. _Don’t step on her feet. Don’t step on her feet._

_I never could’ve guessed I’d be this lucky._ “Lin,”

Lin leaned in gently kissing Kya. “Yes?”

Kya smiled. “Nevermind.” 

Lin moved into Kya’s embrace, the two still moving slowly on the dance floor as the music continued. She gently rested her head on Kya’s shoulder and smiled. Just like that, the stress of the day, all the frustration, it all floated away. A tear of happiness rolled down her cheek and landed on Kya’s shoulder.

I

Korra held a moan down in her throat as Asami moved between her legs. She slammed her arm down on the bed and let a shivering moan escape. Her legs clenched around Asami’s shoulders and she began to shake. Her whole body convulsed in an almost unbearable burst of pleasure. She collapsed onto the bed in a pool of her own sweat, breathing heavily. She was still in a haze when Asami laid down next to her and continued to kiss gently on her neck. “Asami…That was…” She needed to catch her breath. 

Asami smiled and nipped Korra’s neck with her teeth. “I love you too.”

Korra shivered and rolled on top, kissing Asami’s mouth and neck, she carefully grabbed Asami’s wrists and held them above her head kissing down her neck. Further and further. She just gently brushed her lips against Asami’s hip when the phone rang. Korra’s shoulders fell. “Let it ring?” 

Asami _really_ wanted to, but with a assassins on the loose and the city in turmoil it probably wasn’t the best idea. “If its an emergency we can’t let it ring. Besides Lin is working late and Kya’s at the festival. We’ve got time.” Asami reached for the phone with her good hand. 

_Humph._ Korra laid on Asami’s hips, gently kissing where she pleased. 

“Sato estate, Asami speaking.” Asami answered as she had for years. “Hey Mako, what’s up?”

Korra smiled deviously and bit Asami’s hip making her blush. 

Asami glared but smiled. “Uh, yeah Korra’s here.” 

Korra sighed and rolled on her back reaching up for the phone. _This better be good Mako._ “Whats up?”

Mako sat back in his chair and checked his watch, it was almost ten, _do they usually hang out this late?_ Mako shrugged. “Chief wanted me to keep you updated on the situation, her and Tenzin think Zaheer escaped into the spirit world,” 

Korra sprang up nearly dragging the phone off the nightstand. “What?”

“No signs of foul play, the doc says he died of natural causes, it makes sense if you think about it.” 

_He escaped. Again._ “Damn it!”

“We’re also looking into a water bender named Lok, and finally have name for the air bender who attacked Asami.” 

“Mako…I—I gotta go.” She hung the phone up, all of the sudden she felt uncomfortably vulnerable. 

“What is it Korra?”

Korra pulled the sheets around her covering herself. “They think Zaheer escaped.” 

Asami wrapped her arms around Korra. “Are you sure?”

Korra thought back to the dream she had, three people she cared about convulsing on the floor poisoned. _I can’t lose her. I can’t lose anyone anymore._ “Asami…” She leaned into her embrace. 

Asami just hugged Korra tightly, absorbing the gentle sobs, consoling her. “I won’t let him hurt you.” She kissed Korra’s head. “I won’t.”

I

Korra stared out of the balcony, the portal to the spirit world staring back at her. _I’m going to end this. Once and for all._ She leapt off the balcony and deployed her glider, she waited till she was a suitable distance away from the estate to boost herself with fire from her feet. She accelerated, the ground blurring beneath her as she did, quickly the city came underneath. She spotted the festival going on beneath her, amazed it was still going on. She’d left Asami asleep, more successful at sneaking out than the last time. She boosted herself through the air once more, the spirit portal growing larger and more menacing. She flew over the crater surrounding it and banked her glider into a long spiral. She neared the portal and turned into it, enveloping herself in a bright flash of light. Instantly she was in a whole other world, the dark night of the city turning into a too blue to be real night of the spirit world. She flew low and retracted her glider, rolling on to the ground and coming to a stop in one fluid move. She let her glider fall to the ground and bent fire into both her hands ready for a fight. “COME OUT YOU BASTARD!” She screamed like an injured wolf out for blood. The whole valley around her warping into a dark nightmarish landscape with red eyes everywhere. The fire in her hands erupted. “YOU THINK YOU CAN HIDE FROM ME!” Korra snatched her glider up off the ground and shot into the air on a pilar of earth, the nightmarish valley of the spirit world following underneath her. She surveyed the land, the spirit world was subject to change, but locations like The Library and Xai Bau’s grove seemed to stick around. She flew over fast, the different landscapes all warping into dark and evil versions of themselves. She hit the ground in Xai Bau’s grove like a meteorite. “WHERE ARE YOU, YOU COWARD!” She slammed her fire ball into the nearest tree. _Where is that bastard! I know he’s here somewhere._ She screamed and blew holes through three other trees. _‘You’ve got to see it from multiple points of view, consider all the options’_ Her inner Lin offered. _If I was him, and I escaped, I wouldn’t be hiding I would’ve set up an ambush or something._ Korra turned as the grove turned into a dark forrest in a storm, she watched as she was surrounded by a dozen evil looking eyes. She shot off on her glider again, it wasn’t the spirits she was after. She saw the Tree of Time looming in the distance, the great barren desert around it stretching for miles. _I’m going about this all wrong…_ She turned into a dive, and landed coming to a stop just before the barren plain surrounding the Tree of Time. She took a deep breath, bringing her fists together and closed her eyes. _Raava? I need to find Zaheer, he’s here somewhere I know it._

_Korra, I am a part of you, I feel your rage and your pain. I will help you find him, but he will not end your pain, he cannot end your suffering._

_Raava I’ve got to do this, put an end to his evil._

_I will not stop you Korra, He has caused imbalance and discord everywhere, go and do what you must. But know you will not find solace in it._

Korra opened her eyes and found herself on a sharp rock spire over looking a valley of fog. She had never personally been there, but she had read stories of it, the Fog of Lost Souls lay out in front of her. The thick fog seemed to move with a breath of its own, she felt her skin break out in goosebumps. She breathed deep, there was no way she was going to find Zaheer by simply searching for him through the fog. She readied herself, and jumped from the rock spire, coming down fast into the cloud of fog. As soon as she landed she breathed deep and felt Raava’s power flow through her, Korra bent a sphere of air around her. She held it between her arms bringing it in with a deep breath, she shot her arms out sending a giant sphere of air out in all directions. The fog moved back obediently, she looked around quickly searching for Zaheer. She walked forward, eyes still ablaze with Raava’s power. She bent another ball of air around her and let it burst sending the fog reeling. She counted at least fifty people, all either walking around in circles or sitting down rocking back and forth. _Where is he hiding!_ She continued walking, seeing more and more lost souls. 

“Excuse me.” 

Korra froze, her eyes still glowing and another orb of air ready in her arms. She turned, letting Raava’s power leave her. A short boy with spiked hair, dressed in tattered robes that looked like they had come from Ba Sing Se tugged on Korra’s coat. “Uh, hello,”

The boy rubbed a tear from his eye, it was clear he was trying to be brave. “Can you help me? I’m looking for my friend, she might be in a lot of trouble.”

_I don’t have time for this._ “Look, I really have to—” Korra stopped as the fog tried to envelop them both. She let loose the burst of air keeping the fog at bay. 

“Please! You have to help me find her!” The boy was near tears. 

Korra inwardly sighed. “Hold on to me.” She lifted the boy up and deployed her glider, shooting out of the fog, and gliding towards the nearest rock spire. The pair landed quickly. She turned and looked at the whole she had left in the fog which was quickly closing. “Now who are you looking for?”

“My friend.” The boy fought a tear escaping. “P’li, a warlord took her”

Korra’s blood ran cold. “Who?”

“P’li, I’m looking for her.”

Korra’s skin crawled as the boy no taller than her waist slowly morphed into the man she had come to destroy. She immediately went into a fighting stance. “Zaheer!”

Zaheer looked around at first. “Where am I? Avatar Korra?” 

Korra sprang into action bending the rock beneath Zaheer up and trapping him. “Like you don’t know! You escaped from prison!”

Zaheer stifled a cry of pain. “I didn’t escape. I know what it looks like,”

“It looks like you escaped and are trying to kill me, my friends, and _everyone I care about!_ ” Korra screamed clasping Zaheer’s throat in her hand. 

“No, not me, a man called” Zaheer fought to speak through Korra’s grip. “A man called Koju, he’s taken over as the Red Lotus’ leader.”

Korra took her hand off Zaheer’s throat but didn’t let her guard drop. “What?”

“I spent a lot of time in the spirit world, one day a man came to me, said he wanted to continue on the path I started.” 

“And you helped him!” Korra’s blood began to boil. 

“I did at first Korra, eventually I began to think maybe he was doing more harm than I would’ve. My cause was about freeing the world from tyranny, not becoming a tyrant.” 

Korra grabbed his throat again. “Freeing the world just involved trying to kill me.”

“Korra, please, let me help now, I tried to confront Koju and tell him to stop his plans, he threw me into the fog when I wasn’t prepared.” Zaheer stared out into the fog remembering glimpses of his never-ending search for P’li. “Koju is from the metal clan, he moved to Republic City after you stopped Kuvira.” 

Korra held back her rage. “Anything else?”

“He kept most information to himself, only coming to me for guidance,” 

“That’s it?” Korra yelled, a little surprised when Zaheer looked genuinely frightened. 

“There’s a Red Lotus safe house, on the outskirts of the city, not far from my prison. There could be evidence there. I don’t know Korra, I’ve been in prison for the past four years. I’m trying to help, what Koju is doing is wrong. I know that.” Zaheer pleaded. 

“Oh. Now you know its wrong. Great.” Korra replied. 

Zaheer looked her in the eyes. “I’ll help you, I’ll try and make up for what I did to you, from now on. You have my promise.”

_He’s trying to apologize?_ “Do you think that helps me? Do you think that changes anything? You destroyed me, hurt my friends, and because of you the Red Lotus is still trying to destroy the world!” 

Zaheer’s head fell. “I’ve made some mistakes Korra, I can only try now to make up for them.” 

_No._ “You can’t even do that.” Korra bent the earth away from him, before he could even hit the ground she reached out with both hands, feeling the blood pulsing through his body she squeezed. She raised him into the air as he struggled against her hold on every muscle and bone in his body. 

“No…please!”

Korra had waited years for this, the feeling of his pounding heart beat at her command. She let him hover in the air, she moved her hands out along side each other, his body contorted in accordance. She brought him closer to her, she gave her wrist a turn and watched as his body began to wrap around itself. “The pain you’re feeling now…is just a taste of what you did to me,” Korra breathed deep and let Raava’s energy flow through her, her arms moved out, she could feel Zaheer’s joints and limbs starting to tear and pop. She waited for him to scream. Then she brought both hands down as hard as she could, sending him flying towards the fog. As Raava’s energy dissipated, and she began to shake, Zaheer was finished. Once and for all. 


	9. The second course

Ren smiled, she had not enjoyed her day off, this however, she was going to enjoy immensely. She was in a large dojo, the bamboo mats gently flexed under her bare feet as she walked into the center of a large open room. She considered herself an expert with her swords, she considered herself an expert at hand to hand combat. Others would call her a master. She took a deep breath and brought her guard up, without her swords as weapons she had to be one. One by one her enemy joined her on the mats, their guards up as well. She looked at them, they were Kyoshi but they had donned heavy padded suits like pro benders wore leaving them anonymous. She counted ten of them, all with their guards up, all beginning to close in for the kill. She picked out the weakest one, a new recruit by the way she moved, and as an added bonus she'd made the mistake of getting too close. Ren leapt at her prey, grabbing the arm of the rookie, before she had time to react Ren slammed her foot into the rookie's helmet. Ren landed deftly on one foot, the rookie crashed to the ground unconscious. Alarm bells rang in Ren's head, she ducked and lashed out with her fist into an unarmored knee, she rolled away creating distance. Then immediately brought her knee down on the bent over target's head driving it into the mat. _Eight_.

Ren brought her guard back up and turned as two more targets rushed her. She blocked a right hook and a jab at her chest. The target on her right lashed out with her foot, she snatched it and yanked sending the target off balance. She then lashed out at the target's other leg bringing her slamming backwards onto the mat. The target from her left lashed out with a fist catching Ren in the stomach, she took the blow full force and rolled backwards. Immediately she was back to her feet springing forward into her opponent going for a low tackle. They rolled back Ren coming up on top straddling her target, out of the corner of her eye she saw a blur and lurched backwards. A strong downward's kick landed on the target beneath her. She rolled off the target onto her feet and launched a kick at her new opponent's helmet landing the blow. She watched as the target stumbled but somehow stayed standing. No mercy. She ran at her target, first swinging a kick into the ribs, then grabbing the helmeted head and slamming her knee into it. _Five_.

She was knocked sideways by a well landed kick, she rolled with the momentum her shoulder screaming at her. The next target was on top her her in a matter of seconds. Her sore neck and shoulder had to wait, She quickly fended off two head strikes. Her opponent had the advantage. She moved her head to dodge a punch but the hands went from fists to open hands in an instant and closed around her throat. She wrenched her body with all her might _throwing_ her target off balance, she used the moment to lash out at the unarmored throat. She landed a light blow sending her target backwards in surprise. Ren was on her before she had time to realize what was happening, Ren grabbed her opponent's helmet and pulled it forwards then slammed it down into the mat. She immediately felt the next target drive a hard kick into her side missing her ribs. She landed on the mat with the wind knocked out of her. She brought her feet up and rolled backwards onto her knees and sprung to her feet. She almost collapsed running on half a breath of air. She fought her lungs and breathed deep. She sensed a kick coming towards her and blocked it, Ren ducked under it and shoved upwards, picking her opponent off the ground. She brought her slamming down hard on the mats knocking the wind and consciousness out of her. _Payback's a bitch! Three left!_

She bounced light on her feet as she saw all three of her opponents begin to close in, the three seemed more cautious than the rest. Ren smirked and charged confusing the three targets, She rammed the one in the center with all she had. Ren sent her flying backwards immediately she lashed out landing two quick jabs to the target on her left. She ducked under a punch from the target on her right, she snatched the arm and threw her legs up bringing them both down. Immediately she thrusted her hips against the outstretched elbow pining her opponent flat against the mat with her legs. A scream of pain meant it was working, seeing as this was only training she couldn't snap the arm. Instead she placed her feet on the neck and armpit of her target and yanked on her arm dislocating it with a satisfying pop. Ren was back on her feet to deliver a round house kick to the helmet of the target she had jabbed. She smiled as she heard the satisfying crack of the helmet's visor against her heel. The opponent she had rammed stumbled to her feet and squared up to Ren. Ren inhaled deeply just to taunt her. "I smell fear!" She rushed her opponent again, the target tried to get distance between them but made the fatal mistake of turning away. Ren shot forward and grabbed the back of her prey's helmet and pulled knocking her off balance. She then knocked her off her feet, quickly she drove a knee into the stomach of her opponent and finished her off with a strong punch to the head. Ren took a deep breath and stood up. Her prey laid around her in various states of conscious and pain, some managing to walk off the mat, the others limping. She straightened her gi and began to walk off the mat, before noticing Mako standing in the corner with his jaw on the floor. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too." Mako went from amazed to a little annoyed. "I'm here to see the long range spears, Korra said they matched the weapon that killed the President." Ren walked off the mats and snatched a water bottle and towel that was waiting for her on the floor.

She took her time wiping the sweat off her forehead and taking a gulp of water. "Those will be in our armory, you'll need an escort, I'll be showered and ready in ten. Wait here." She didn't wait for a reply, she had never planned to see Mako again, foolish though it may have been. Him showing up out of the blue put her good mood into a spiral. She quickly made her way to the lockers, the endorphins from the fight quickly dissipating.

I

Asami stirred, she let out a yawn and rolled over, Korra laid next to her sound asleep, she watched for a moment. Usually Korra wasn't a heavy sleeper, murmuring, snoring, or tossing in her sleep. She had snuck out late last night, Asami didn't know why, and she didn't really care. All that mattered to her is that Korra was back where she belonged. Carefully she moved in close to her laying her head onto Korra's slowly rising chest. She could hear a steady and loud heart beat slowly thumping away, She smiled and closed her eyes hoping to get a few minutes more rest.

I

Korra woke up from the most peaceful sleep of her life, she blinked away her grogginess and noticed Asami sound asleep on her chest. Smiling she carefully placed her arm around her, stroking Asami's shoulder gently with her thumb. Korra thought back to the previous night, what she had done to Zaheer, she supposed she should've felt bad. But she hadn't felt so calm and relaxed in years. She took a slow breath and made a mental note to remember how this all felt, her girlfriend sleeping calmly in her arms, in an incredibly comfortable bed, with the sunlight spilling through the curtains. _I wouldn't mind staying like this forever._ She smiled and just as she closed her eyes Asami began to stir. "Morning"

Asami smiled and moved gently to kiss Korra's cheek. "Morning."

"Got any plans today?" Korra didn't move a muscle just wanting to hold Asami to her, safe and sound.

"Not really, just checking on Jade's progress on her prototype, she's almost done with the rebuild." Asami said returning her head to Korra's chest. She knew she had to ask. She just didn't want to. "Korra…"

Korra raised an eyebrow at the tone in Asami's voice. "Asami?"

"Where…where did you go last night?" Shit. "I just went out for a walk…"

"Korra, you know I love you right?" Asami asked not moving her head. "Of course…"

"Then why lie to me?" Asami heard Korra's heart pick up.

 _damn it…_ She knew she couldn't lie to her, but that didn't make the truth any easier. "Asami…I…" Korra took a deep breath. "I went to the spirit world to confront Zaheer."

Asami raised her head from Korra's chest and sat up. Her first instinct was to scold Korra for going alone, but she was in bed with her so if her and Zaheer had fought it ended in her favor. "And you found him?"

Korra looked down at her lap like a kid who got caught stealing. "Yeah," Korra looked at Asami's green eyes which were fixed on her. "He didn't escape, he was thrown into the Fog of Lost Souls by whoever is running the Red Lotus now."

Asami looked startled. "Seriously?"

Korra nodded. "I found him in the Fog, he gave me the name Koju for the man who's in charge and a safe house location." "He just gave up that information?" "He wanted to prove that he could help me, and the new leader threw him into a the Fog for eternity…" Korra shrugged, hoping Asami wouldn't ask what happened next. "Did you let him free?"  
Korra blinked away tears, _this is where she hates me._ "No…"  
Asami held Korra to her. "What did you do?"

A tear escaped from her eyes. "I blood bent him, I wanted to make him hurt Asami. Then I threw him back into the Fog." She grabbed her hand that was starting to shake as she felt Zaheer's pulse again. She had expected Asami to be horrified, to want her to leave and never speak to her again. Instead she felt the soft pressure of lips on the top of her head.

"He deserved much worse Korra. You had every right to do that to him."

"I just wanted him to feel some of the pain I felt." Korra's mind conjured up the sound of Zaheer's various joints and limbs popping as she twisted him like a towel being rung out. "I feel…relieved but I know I shouldn't and that makes me feel like a monster."

Asami stroked her girlfriend's head with her hand. "Korra you aren't a monster. You're human."

Korra sighed and held herself in Asami's embrace. _I hope you're right_.

I

Ren adjusted the coat of her dress uniform, it was a dark green uniform with a gold stripe down each arm. She hated it, but it was better than walking around in her armor all day. She put her hair up in a tight bun and sighed. _Time to face him I suppose_. She strolled out of the lockers and walked up to Mako who was enthralled by another Kyoshi training practice. It was a class of recruits going through basic sword techniques with bamboo training swords. She watched one who was merely going through the motions making sloppy mistakes. She had to stop herself before charging over and giving the rookie a crash course in advanced sword fighting. "Let's go."

Mako snapped out of his trance, watching the Kyoshi train was like watching an ancient ballet. He hadn't realized Ren had already taken off, _who pissed her off?_ He nearly jogged to catch up to her. "I need to ask you a few questions about the weaponry."

Ren raised an eyebrow keeping her pace up as they moved down the hallway exiting the dojo. "Are the Kyoshi being investigated?"

"Uh-no," _Not yet_. "But it is suspicious that President Raiko was assassinated with a weapon that only the Kyoshi are known to have."

Ren briefly imagined turning and swinging a kick at Mako's head. "As you'll see once we get to the armory, they're not exactly high tech." Ren turned the corner and headed up a stair case jogging up the steps.

Mako's shoulders dropped as he saw the stairs and the pace that Ren was keeping. He followed after her eventually catching up. He wanted to keep it professional when he had first shown up to the Kyoshi HQ, but Ren's hostile demeanor and pace made his fuse short. "What's gotten into you?"

"You're ruining my good mood,"

"Me? I'm just doing my job." Mako said flying up the steps alongside Ren.

"Oh right, accusing my organization, showing up out of the blue, must've been just routine." Ren ripped up the last set of stairs and hooked a left down the hallway.

Mako's eye twitched at the nerve Ren had, but he stopped short when the hallway was completely different from the one He had just left. This one was carpeted and the walls were lined with photograph's in frames, there must've been hundreds. Even Ren had slowed, though she wasn't out of breath in the slightest she was definitely taking this hall slowly. As he followed Ren he clocked golden plaques with names inscribed on them. "…Are these all?"

"They're dead. Yes." Mako raised an eyebrow, but kept quiet out of respect, they eventually made it to the end of the hall where a statue of Kyoshi stood nearly hitting the ceiling. _What? No giant door with a bunch of key codes and locks?_

Ren lifted a photo that hung at the end of the wall revealing a key pad, she quickly typed in a code and hit enter. With a loud metal thud the statue began to separate down the middle sliding on hidden tracks to the sides of the hall. "We keep the LRS locked down with all the other dangerous weaponry."

 _Dangerous weaponry?_ The statue of Kyoshi finished sliding apart to reveal a large door with an old fashioned spinning dial. "What do you mean dangerous weaponry?"

Ren rolled her eyes and began to spin the dial turning it to several different numbers, at last she pushed her thumb against a part of the steel door. It unlocked with a solid thunk and retracted into the ceiling revealing a staircase leading into darkness. "Don't touch anything." Ren ordered and reached inside flicking a light switch.

Mako rolled his eyes as Ren turned his back to him, the lights slowly flickered on revealing a short concrete stair case leading to a large open room lined with shelves. As he walked down the steps, he saw why she said dangerous weaponry. The first four shelves were filled top to bottom with old Equalist weaponry, he frowned at a shelf of backpacks with metal batons holstered to the sides. The next four all shelves all held boxes labeled explosives. The next few shelves made him stop dead in his tracks as he saw dozens of steel and glass containers holding thick gnarled vines inside. "Where did you get those?"

"All of Kuvira's forces headed here for the invasion, leaving their weapon factories unguarded. We took what we could, and leveled the factories." If I _find the dip shit who left those uncovered!_

"You know Spirit Vine weaponry has been officially outlawed in all the four nations right?"

"What you'd rather have them siting under lock and key a few floors away from your desk guarded by a rookie making chump change?" Ren patted the steel container. "They're safer with us."

Mako was more pissed that she was probably right than about the horde of illegal weaponry. "I'll pretend I didn't see those." As soon as he finished the sentence he let out a sigh. "And why do you have those?"

Ren followed his pointed finger and looked at the pair of Mecha-suits. "Come on, even Asami has those."

Mako let his shoulder fall. "Just show me the weapons before I see something I can't ignore."

Ren waved him over to the shelf at the end, the long range spears were kept in long black tubes holding foam cases for the spears. "We have to keep them undamaged, if they get dented or bent they won't fly straight." Ren opened one up and let it slide out into her hand, she knocked away the foam and uncovered the long steel projectile. "Here it is."

Mako pulled out his notepad. "And when did the Kyoshi start making them?"

Ren sighed. "About five years ago, they were designed by a Kyoshi who died about three years ago. We have them made in the fire nation and shipped under close personal guard to each Group headquarters."

Mako scribbled it all down. "Only earth and water benders can use them?"

"Unless you could find a way to keep fire inside one." Mako tapped his pen to his lips.

"Know any one called Lok?"

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Not even a little bit."

Mako noted it. "Any Kyoshi who would have reason to assassinate the President?"

Ren snapped, she got in Mako's face painfully aware that it was a crime to assault a Police officer. "How Dare you! You come into our headquarters and ask me to escort you around then accuse my sisters of assassinating the President!"

Mako took a step back picturing in his mind Ren pulling the sparing partner's arm out of it's socket. "Calm down, I'm just asking questions that I have to ask!" "Let me answer them then! No Kyoshi killed the President. No Kyoshi ever would! Now get out." Ren had to make a mental effort not to punch him. Mako shook his head and raised his hands. "Fine," He stormed out of the armory leaving Ren behind. Ren let out a frustrated groan and punched the nearest shelf. Her day was not off to a good start.

I

Lin groaned and opened her eyes, not making a move, her whole body ached and seemed anchored to the bed. She raised her eyebrows at the tangled mass of grey hair laying face down on the pillow next to her. They hadn't partied like that since they were teenagers, they'd danced for hours, then at midnight the festival erupted with Water Tribe vodka loud music and a whole different vibe. She didn't even remember going back to the estate. She made the awful effort to roll to her side to check her alarm clock. She realized with a start that she wasn't in her room. _SHIT!_ She sprung from the bed her body screaming at her, immediately realized she was completely naked. "Kya! Wake up!" Lin started looking frantically around the room for her armor and clothes. She wracked her brain for how she had gotten to the room, it was a small room with a large dresser and radio adjacent from their bed which was almost as nice as the one in their room at Asami's. She quickly found her underwear and clothes that reeked from the night before. "KYA!"

"hmmhph?" Kya mumbled into the pillow. "Where the fuck are we?" Lin almost yelled as she spotted the corner of her armor underneath the bed. Kya shook her head and rolled over. "Stop being…sho….lo" She hit the pillow again.

Lin scrambled for her shoes and picked up the phone on Kya's nightstand. "Hello?"

"Front desk, how may I help you?"

"What hotel is this?"

"Ma'am?"

"WHAT HOTEL IS THIS?"

"Uh-the Republic City Ember Continental, Ma'am."

Lin slammed the phone down. _For fuck sake. I'm five miles away!_ "Lin I'm late!" Kya shrugged into her pillow. "Kya I've got to go, I'll call later!" Lin rushed out making a mental note of the room number and donning dark sunglasses as even the light in her hallway made her head throb. _Fucking flameo._ She stormed down the hallway and nearly knocked in the button for the elevator. Impatiently waiting for it, her memory of the night flittered back, she tried to stop herself from smiling but Kya and her hadn't had that much fun in years.

A sharp pain came from her kidneys, _I'm too old for this shit._ The elevator dinged and she stepped in, immediately slamming the lobby button. She smelled of Water Tribe vodka and sweat from dancing more than she had in her life. She sighed and checked her watch, it was almost ten, _that's the council meeting and the detectives sitrep I've missed._ _Fantastic_. When the elevator dinged she wanted to shove the doors open herself, but instead they moved apart and she marched into the lobby trying to leave as fast as possible.

"Mrs. Beifong!"

Lin's shoulder's tensed as she looked across the lobby and spotted a concierge waving at her from behind a large oak desk. She sighed and adjusted her course to the desk. "Yes."

"Are you checking out?"

Lin almost nodded but hesitated remembering the still possibly drunk Kya comatose in the bed. "Uh, best extend for another night."

"My pleasure," The concierge pulled out a large leather binder and ran his finger down the page he opened to. "With the newly wed's discount that'll be four hundred Yuans."

" _Exfuckingcuse_ me?" Lin spewed. _What the flameo did we do last night?_

"Newly wed discount? You two were very insistent that it should apply."

Lin immediately checked her neck for a betrothal necklace, she felt nothing but bruises left by Kya's over zealous kissing. _Oh thank fuck_. "Look I'll pay the bill when I come back later okay?"

"Of course,"

Lin rolled her eyes and stormed out of the hotel, the sun's warmth and light hitting her like a spotlight. The city was in full swing, traffic was buzzing by the hotel, She hailed a cab and lit a cigarette inhaling the smoke and nicotine like her life depended on it. She felt her neck again, she raised an eyebrow. _Am I disappointed?_ A cab pulled up and she collapsed into the back seat. She reached up holding her hand on her neck a confused look on her face.

"Where you wanna go?"

"Police Headquarters." Lin said completely distracted, She felt totally shell shocked, she'd only ever considered marriage in a totally non serious way. The thought of Kya married to her made her confused. A few years ago she'd have laughed at the idea, completely implausible, but now? On the eve of her retirement after an incredible night with a woman she'd missed for years? She pictured presenting Kya with a betrothal necklace, then a wedding with all the Water Tribe traditions. She chewed on her lip. _Don't be stupid…she'd never go for it…would she?_

"You okay Miss?" Lin snapped out of her trance.

"I'm fine, thanks." She wasn't sure about that anymore. The cab pulled to a stop barely paying attention to what the fare was she paid and left the cab stepping back into the spotlight sun. She reached for her flask, Oh great, she gave it a shake hearing nothing inside she stowed it and headed up the stairs to Police HQ. She looked and felt like death, her head beginning to pound from dehydration, her mind wandering. She didn't acknowledge anyone on her way to the elevator, keeping her sunglasses on and her head down. _Juuuuust make it to your office Lin._ She waited in the elevator she had a mini heart attack as she realized her neck probably looked like a disaster. She pulled out a compact mirror, _I've got to tell her to be a little more careful next time._ She rolled her eyes. The elevator dinged and she saw the normal hum drum of the detectives' office. As well as her door at the far end of the office. _Just a little farther_. To her disbelief she managed to actually make it to her office, she shut the door behind her and leaned against it, bending the blinds shut with a swipe of her hands. With the blinds shut it was dark enough to take her sunglasses off without her eyes hurting. She shuffled over to the desk and collapsed into her chair. Immediately there was a knock at the door. _Really? Really?_ "What?"

"Chief, I have somethings to discuss about the President's assassination…I brought coffee."

"Come in." Lin knew Mako's voice and wanted to shoo him away but coffee was too good to refuse.

Mako stepped through raising an eyebrow at the cave like darkness of Lin's office. "You doing alright?"

"Fine, coffee, now." Lin was face down on her desk with an arm extended for the cup.

Mako smirked and handed the cup to her, sitting down at the chair in front of the desk he opened a folder with his case notes. "Rough night?"

Lin leaned back in her chair and used her cables to open the bottom drawer of her desk pulling out a bottle of whisky. She poured it into the cup and offered Mako some. She shrugged when he waved it away. She took a sip and sighed, _it was one of the best nights of my life_. "I went to the Water Tribe festival."

Mako made a confused face. "You're not even from either of the Tribes?"

"Kya is," Lin shrugged fondly remembering Kya's drunken mumblings in the morning. Mako nodded, he knew the two older ladies had been staying at the Sato Estate but didn't figure them as the type to party to the break of dawn. He took a sip of coffee and finally noticed Lin's neck. He had to stop himself from spitting the coffee across the room, instead he coughed it all up.

Lin raised an eyebrow, it was almost like you could hear his mind click when he figured it out. _Some detective you are_. "Quit coughing all over my desk."

Mako held his hand over his mouth till the coffee was out. "Sorry Chief, just…uh…didn't really expect you and Kya."

Lin raised an eyebrow and a smile imagining what his reaction would be to finding out about Korra and Asami. "Don't tell anyone, not even Tenzin knows." She ordered, but realized Mako was still wide eyed and confused. "Hey!"

Mako shook his head. "I, uh-roger."

Lin rolled her eyes. "You had new information on the case?"

Mako looked down as his coffee spattered folder. "Right, I want to follow up more with the Kyoshi, they had the exact same weapon used to assassinate the President."

Lin considered the idea. "The Kyoshi are considered ambassadors for their native Island, it would be hard to get a warrant. And they're well armed."

"I noticed." Mako sighed. "I can do it without a warrant, maybe."

"Just don't get caught, or killed, any news on the Air bender from the hit squad?" Lin asked finishing off her coffee and already wanting more.

"Not really, chances are the he was from a town or village way out in the middle of no where." Mako shrugged and closed the folder.

Mako looked at his boss, though she was clearly hung over he could see something else was on her mind. "More coffee?"

Lin let her forehead hit the desk. "Yes please."

I

Ren hammered the keys on her typewriter one by one, she hated typing almost as she hated writing the long note as to why she'd dislocated a trainee's shoulder. _Because the trainee exhibited a lack of courage, skill, physical ability, strength…_ Her thoughts trailed off because what she was actually writing was not anywhere near that harsh. There was a solid knock at her door. "ENTER." She said with zero enthusiasm, her day had been wreck first by Mako's appearance then by a trainee crying to her superior officers. She didn't even look up from her typewriter.

"Uh, are you busy?"

Ren snapped up from her seat almost knocking it over. "Avatar! Didn't expect you to visit here,"

Korra was a bit startled by Ren's excitement at her visit but she supposed it was a good sign. "I wanted to ask you about something."

"Fire away, our last outing was the most fun I'd had in ages." Mako immediately floated into her mind and was just as quickly shooed away.

Korra eyed the chair across from Ren's desk. "May I?"

"Of course," Ren sat back down at her desk and wished she had coffee or tea to offer.

Korra sat down and looked at the old Kyoshi armor hanging in a display across from Ren's desk. "Old school huh?"

"Our heritage forged the way for the KWG to expand into every nation in the world." Ren spewed a rehearsed and memorized line given to reporters and police.

Korra gazed at the armor. "Asami said you are the most successful private security agency in the world."

"Sure are,"

Korra was conflicted as to how to breach the subject she'd come to discuss. "From what I saw, you do more than security."

Ren raised an eyebrow, she'd fought with Korra so she trusted her. "We're a flexible organization, rescue, capture, recovery of lost goods…asset denial."

"How flexible?"

Ren smiled deviously. "What do you have in mind?"

"I need to do something illegal, no one can find out, and we'll need to kill a few people."

Ren reclined in her chair put her feet up on the desk and smiled. "Tell me more."

I

Lin sipped from her flask nursing away the hangover by bringing back the buzz. She thumbed away at the report lying on her desk unable to concentrate. She sighed, _fuck it all,_ She stood up and walked to her office door and frowned. She stopped before opening it and bent her armor into a high collar to hide Kya's marks, she opened the door just enough to get her head through. "Himiko? Can you come here for a moment?"

"Moving!"

Lin rolled her eyes, Himiko was a hard worker but her enthusiasm was a little grating, especially when hungover. She sat down at her desk and waited for the brand new detective to rush into her office. _I can't believe I'm doing this._ She waited for her to sit down before fumbling with the question in her mind. "You're from the southern water tribe right?"

"Yes Chief, moved to republic city when I was thirteen."

Lin scratched her head, Himiko was a mousey woman, Lin was surprised she had survived two years as a beat cop. She looked at her neck, _shit no necklace_. "I need to ask you a question that'll be completely embarrassing, if it ever leaves this office I will track you down and make sure the case never gets solved."

"Uh…"

"What's the deal with the betrothal necklaces, and where do I buy one." Lin turned beet red as the sentence rushed from her.

"Oh…Uh Chief, usually the, uh man is supposed to give the betrothal—"

"I am _aware_ of this." Lin glared.

"Okayyyy then," Himiko stammered. "Well betrothal necklaces are Water Tribe tradition, given as a sort of an engagement ring. Usually carved by hand and given to the person you want to marry." Her eyes went wide and moony. "Chief! Are you getting married?"

Lin scowled. "I just need to find a damn necklace or someone who can make one!" She was immediately silenced by a loud knock at her office door. _Damn it._ "Come in!"

"Good afternoon Lin,"

Lin's face went pale as Tenzin stepped into her office and she screamed internally, she looked at Himiko and pointed to the door. "Tenzin…what brings you here?" _Howmuchdidyouhearhowmuchdidyouhearhowmuchdidyouhear_!

"I'll let you know if I find any jewelers!"

Lin hurled her coffee mug at Himiko barely missing her on her way out. _I am going to kill her._ Lin pulled out her flask and looked at the bewildered Tenzin. "What are you looking at?"

"You're looking for a betrothal necklace?" Tenzin never looked so confused. _Annnnd you heard everything. GREAT. Shit where do I even start with this one._ "I uh…was thinking about it yeah."

Tenzin raised an eyebrow. "…You know its usually the gu—"

"I _KNOW!_ " Lin fumed.

Tenzin looked like he had just hit a landmine. "Well, I'm happy for you regardless, I'm surprised you never brought anyone to the Island for dinner." Tenzin stroked his beard. "Or Varrick's wedding."

 _Becauseshewasalreadythere_. Alarms screamed in Lin's head, she kept her mouth shut and shrugged.

"Lin, you've got to have the wedding on Air temple island! Varrick's was terrific, and the whole family enjoyed the party."

"I'll think about it, I'm not even sure if I'm going through with it, or if she'll" _SHIT!_

Tenzin raised an eyebrow. "Lin, that's awfully modern of you,"

Lin shrugged again. "She's a modern gal I suppose."

Tenzin stroked his beard. "I'm sure it'll be wonderful, how long have you known her?" He asked making himself comfortable in Himiko's old seat.

 _Oh you know, all my life,_ She briefly thought about slamming her head into her desk. "Look, let's just forget this whole conversation happened, what did you come here for?"

Tenzin rolled his eyes. "I've known you all my life, you're like a sister to me and now you're thinking about getting married? Work can wait."

 _SHITSHISHITSHITSHIT_ "Tenzin, I don't even want to talk about it anymore."

"Oh come on Lin!" He goaded.

"Look, you don't even—"

"Lin, even Pema will want to know, tell me!" Tenzin chided playfully.

"It's your sister." Lin answered bluntly, immediately wishing she hadn't.

"What?"

Lin slapped her forehead. "If you tell anyone I swear to your father I will finish what I started years ago and sink your island into the bay!"

"What?" Tenzin was completely pale as if he'd just been shot.

"Kya, me, together." Lin raised an unsympathetic eyebrow.

"… _What_?"

I

Korra banked her glider into her usual flight pattern above the Sato Estate, slowly bringing it around to aim at her and Asami's balcony. She caught the last breeze of the late afternoon and landed deftly on the railing to her room. "Asami?" She hopped off the railing and moved through the curtains, wondering where her lover was. She placed her glider in the corner of the room and called out again. "Asami?" She furrowed her brow. Where has she disappeared to? Korra headed out of the room into the long hallway heading towards the main stairs. She strolled down the hall almost as familiar with the estate as her home back with the Souther Water Tribe. She took the steps quickly, her boots making a soft thud on each step. "Asami?" She turned and headed to the kitchen, she sighed as she found it equally empty. She headed down the hall to the library, where else could she be? She opened the door to the library and it to her dismay was empty as well. She walked to the window and opened it, she looked around the yard and raised an eyebrow. "HELP!" She yelled and watched as three Kyoshi instantly came running. "Calm down, just trying to get your attention!" She could see the disappointment in one of them as she reluctantly sheathed her sword.

"How may we serve you Avatar?"

"Have you guys seen Asami?"

"Mrs. Sato is in the garage, the only ones unaccounted for are Mrs. Beifong and Kya." The lead Kyoshi answered.

Korra raised an eyebrow, if anyone could handle themselves it was Kya and Lin, but she did wonder where they had been all day. She made her way to the foyer and exited the estate, crossing the lawn she saw that the Kyoshi were already hidden again. The garage was built after the estate, across from the race track making it a quick walk from both. She stepped from the lawn onto the concrete driveway and immediately saw Asami. The large open garage had housed everything from race cars to mechasuits, now it held a new Sato speedster. Korra had watched it being built with Asami at the factory to Asami's exact specifications. Instead of paint it wore nothing but bare metal, the windshield was little more than a small piece of glass in front of each seat, this was built for speed. Asami was underneath on a crawler, the sound of a ratchet echoing in the empty garage. "Hey sweetie,"

The ratcheting stopped and Asami rolled out from underneath. "Hey sweetie," She smiled and grabbed a rag to clean her hands careful to clean her bad hand very gently. Korra sat down next to her on the creeper, She smiled watching Asami. "Hows your hand?"  
"Still stiff and painful, but I can use a wrench if I'm careful," Asami scooted the crawler back and leaned against the door of the Sato mobile next to Korra. "How'd the meeting with Ren go?" "Good, she's agreed to help if it's out of police jurisdiction." Korra lied. "That's great, have you talked to Lin yet?"  
"No, I thought she'd be back by now, I haven't seen her all day." Korra said honestly, she had yet to figure out how to keep Zaheer's intel secret. "That's odd, especially this close to her retirement, I'm surprised her and Kya aren't already hanging around the wine cellar." Asami laughed. Korra smiled. "They definitely do love their wine," Asami reached her arm around Korra. "I'm glad your back."  
Korra nuzzled into Asami's embrace. "Oh?"  
Asami took Korra's hand in hers. "Do you think we'll live to be as old as them?"  
Korra looked at Asami's hand and hers, she thumbed her favorite scar on Asami's good hand, a long mark Asami had attributed to their attack on the Northern Spirit portal. While it wasn't Korra's favorite time in her life, Asami flying into battle with Mako and Bolin on the wings of her plane painted an incredible picture. She kissed the scar and leaned back against the Sato mobile. "We will." She said with growing uncertainty, she was the Avatar, and in the last decade been nearly killed too many times to count. Asami was right up there with her in the near death incidents. Her heart picked up a beat, but she tried to push the thought out of her mind, they were here now, and that was enough.

I

"SAN!"

Mako jumped up in his seat at his desk, he looked around the office in a panic, _Just a dream Mako, cool it._ He gave the radio operator a nod of acknowledgement, and took a deep breath. _Its just a dream._

"Mako, whatcha reading?"

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, he'd heard that voice before, so long ago. Slowly like he was being held hostage, he looked to his right, his heart began to race in his chest. Just out of the corner of his eye he could see a child just standing there. He moved his head just a touch, and the figure moved with it staying just outside his peripherals. He instantly spun around and brought a blade of fire up ready to attack. But there was no one there.

"Detective, you okay?"

Mako turned and saw the radio operator looking at him like he was crazy. "Uh, yeah, just…just a bad dream."

"The cot in the break room's open if you want to rack out."

Mako shrugged and picked his chair back up, he sat down and looked at the report he was supposed to be typing before he nodded off. He began to type but immediately felt it again, someone was watching him. _There's no one there Mako, just calm down._ He checked his peripherals again, and took a deep breath _see? Nothing._

"Mako? Where's dad?"

He shot from his desk like he'd launched from a spring, He turned around and saw his little brother standing behind him. Just the same as the day he'd described to Arjan, only this time Bolin was crying. He's not here. His crying little brother looked at him.

"Mako? Why didn't you protect them?"

Mako tried backed up but immediately hit his desk. "I…I tried…"

"It's your fault Mako!" His brother shouted.

"No…" Mako could feel tears burn down his cheeks. "No!" Mako turned and vaulted over his desk running for the door. Sprinting past a bewildered radio operator leaving the empty office in seconds.

I

Ren had spent the day finishing her report and planning the Avatar's operation, when she had fought alongside Korra she had hoped it wouldn't be the last time. When Korra had explained the goal of their mission she realized it was exactly the type of work she'd joined the Kyoshi for. She'd spent the rest of the day combing over high altitude airship photography of the area that the operation was supposed to take place. The operation was simple in itself, however what made it challenging was the need for extreme secrecy. She walked down the street illuminated by street lamps as she imagined the possibilities and outcomes of the operation. She could've taken her Satocycle but she had chosen to leave it at work and enjoy the cool night air instead. As she neared the steps to her apartment she saw him. "Mako?" _Here to accuse us again no doubt._

Mako turned his head and immediately placed it back between his hands, he had run here in a panic that hadn't faded just yet. "Ren…"

"Mako, what are you doing here?" Ren kept her distance but faced him as he sat on the steps.

"They won't leave me alone…"

"What are you talking about?" She asked growing concerned, she was angry at him earlier but the desperation in his voice alarmed her.

"I can't stop remembering everything…" Mako said from between his arms.

 _Oh…_ "Did you talk to Arjan?"

"He didn't help, it only got worse!" Mako was crying again.

Ren frowned in sympathy,"Come inside." she instructed and gently grabbed his arm to guide him into her apartment building. She wondered how long he'd been out there and just how long he'd been breaking down. She could hear his stressed breathing as she unlocked the door to her apartment and pulled him inside. "Sit down, I'll get you some water."

Mako flopped down on the couch resuming his curled up posture, only moving when Ren handed him a glass of water.

Ren sat across from him. "You went to Arjan?"

Mako took a sip and wiped the tears from his face. "He didn't help, I told him about my parents dying, and now I can't get it out of my head." Mako held his head in his hands again. "I keep seeing my little brother…he's blaming me."

 _He's worse than I thought…_ "What did Arjan say?"

"I didn't stick around to hear him out, I couldn't keep thinking about it,"

Ren put her arm around Mako. "It'll be okay Mako, look whatever happened it's not your fault. You should've stayed the full session, he would've helped."

"I should've been able to save him."

Ren could barely hear Mako talk. "Save who?"

"It was my job to protect him, and I failed, he died because I wasn't fast enough."

Ren sighed and rubbed her hand across Mako's back, she'd been there before many times. Days and nights spent wondering if she had just been a few seconds faster, just a little stronger, just a little better would it have made the difference. Would it have saved the lives she put in danger? "Mako, you can't think like that,"

"I couldn't do anything!" Mako yelled. "Nothing! I couldn't stop the spear, I couldn't stop him from getting hit, I couldn't even stop his bleeding."

Ren held onto him as he sobbed. "It's okay…it's okay." She didn't know how long Mako would be like this, she didn't care because she would stay with him as long as it took. She knew exactly how it felt to be breaking down alone and she wasn't about to let him go through it on his own.

I

Kya sat up on the bed reading the paper through a discreet pair of glasses, she'd spent the day sleeping off her hangover and lounging around the hotel room. She hated getting old, if she had done what she did last night two decades ago she'd have been out on the town again already. However the ability to lounge the day away and relax was not something to go unappreciated. She adjusted her robe and tossed the paper down on the bed, it was all election coverage which she hadn't ever cared about. There was a gentle knock on the door. "Room service!"

She smiled, she'd recognize Lin's voice anywhere, immediately she traipsed across the room and opened the door. Her smile got even wider, Lin was standing there with a bottle of champagne and glasses for the pair of them. "I don't remember ordering desert" She gave Lin a wink.

Lin blushed a deeper than blood red, she tried to think of something funny but it all short circuited somewhere between her mouth and brain. _Say something you dolt!_ "Hey beautiful," _that'll work_.

Kya waved her in taking the bottle of champagne. "You know me too well."

"I figured you'd appreciate it," Lin bent her armor off letting it clank onto the floor and flopped down on the bed. "I don't know how you do it, I'm still felling the hangover"

"A long bath and a long day laying around in a robe helped," Lin smiled and brought her arm up covering her eyes from the lights in the room, she yawned as Kya popped the cork on the champagne.

"You know that was complementary right?"

Kya laughed. "We're not cheap drunks are we? How much did is this room costing?" Undeterred she poured a generous amount into both glasses.

"With the newly wed discount?"

"The what?" _…did we elope?_

"Funny right? Seems drunk Kya and Lin were very insistent." Lin sat up trying to gauge Kya's reaction, _please be happy please be happy please be happy_.

"Makes you think doesn't it." Kya sipped her champagne and handed Lin hers.

 _Was that happy?_ She took a sip of the champagne as her brain ran itself in circles trying to analyze Kya's reaction. "About?"

Kya joined Lin on the bed. "What it would be like if we were married."

 _Okay so she isn't not happy?_ Lin took a long sip making sure her mouth wouldn't screw the whole conversation up.

"You know, last night was…amazing." Kya carefully held her glass as she laid down on the bed.

"It was…Kya?" Lin's brain froze in its tracks.

Kya gently cupped Lin's chin in her hands and kissed her. "Yes?"

"I love you…" Kya smiled and kissed Lin again, as well as lounging she'd spent the day reeling from the realization as to just how much Lin meant to her.

"I love you too Lin,"

I

Korra kept low to the ground, it was covered in snow that clung to her white parka, she was used to the cold but she had never felt so warm. She had hiked for what felt like hours, starting before dawn and ending up crawling through sunrise, she'd only just made it to the top of the hill. Now she could see it, a small log cabin nestled against a cliff side. Based on the Kyoshi's intel, it was the Red Lotus' safe house that Zaheer had told her about. Their approach had to be as covert as possible. Her and Ren had flown about five miles away from the cabin and walked the rest of the way, ending in a crawl. Korra could just make out the rising smoke from the chimney, the house was full of prey. She cautiously moved her head to one side so she could look behind her, Ren was crawling up slowly beside her. "How long till your teams in position?"

Ren kept her voice as whisper quiet as Korra's. "They already are."

Korra returned her gaze to the cliff side behind the cabin as three human silhouettes appeared on top. They didn't need to hide considering they were above the cabin. She raised an eyebrow as all three silhouettes jumped off the cliffside. They fell fast at first but they slowed their descent and began walking down the near vertical cliff side. "How are they doing that?"

"Cables similar to the police force." Ren answered watching her team at work earning a slight feeling of pride. They were half way down the cliffside in minutes, she'd planned every detail and so far it was working.

Korra's heart beat picked up as the Kyoshi neared the cabin, like spiders descending on a web ready to retrieve their food. Ren had briefed her on the plan, and it was about to be her turn to work. The Kyoshi on the cliff side reached for the gas grenades they'd brought down the cliffside. Ren had spent hours planning how to neutralize an entire cabins worth of people, she'd gone with a shock an awe approach. Korra smiled as she saw the Kyoshi throw the grenades down the chimney of the cabin. A loud echoing series of explosions seconds after and the cabin's windows began to fill with smoke. _Patience Korra_ … She gritted her teeth.

Suddenly the front door of the cabin burst open and a figure ran out before collapsing on all fours coughing hard. _Not yet._ Slowly four more figures stumbled out. _NOW_ Korra bent the earth beneath her and shot herself into the air, in seconds she crashed down within striking distance of the five Lotus. They didn't even get a chance to fight. She could feel each of their hearts beating around her, she could feel them as she brought her hands up and squeezed. On command they stopped coughing and cried out in pain as their bodies were wrenched from their control. Korra brought her hands up and they followed, their bodies shaking under her control, they hovered around her.

Ren was almost too shocked to act, her team was there within seconds, she began to run to the group closing the distance quickly. "Cuff them."

Korra brought them down onto the snow almost gently, just letting the feeling of five heart beats under her command course through her. She let the Kyoshi cuff their hands behind their backs but kept them under her firm grip. She took a deep breath and slowly let them go once they'd been cuffed. They immediately fell face first onto the snow and resumed coughing. "Nice work."

"Same to you…" Ren said almost awestruck. "Search the house." She nodded to two of the Kyoshi.

Korra looked at the five Red Lotus members, you wouldn't know it by looking at them, three men and two women. _All of them belong to me now_. She steadied her hand as it began to shake. "How long do we have?"

"As long as you need." Ren said eyeing the terrorists as their coughing subsides.

"Find anything?" Ren asked the returning Kyoshi, her shoulders dropped as she saw them drag a crate with the KWG logo on the side. "They did use our spears…"

"We also found a pile of documents and maps, collected them for analysis later." Ren nodded and turned her attention to Korra who was staring at one of the terrorists like a wolf looking at a piece of meat.

Even for Ren it was unsettling. "I need to know how they stole our spears."

Korra dropped the hood of her parka and let the cold mountain air hit her face as she kept her eyes locked on the Red Lotus in front of her. He was a built like a boxer but seemed to exude an aura of upper class and sophistication, his black hair was kept slicked back but Korra's bending had disturbed it. She took a deep breath and singled out his heart beat in her hands, she raised her hand and squeezed bringing him up in the air with a sickening choking noise from his throat. "You're going to answer my questions, as I ask them, do you understand?" She moved her hand slightly forcing his head forward then back. "Good."

Korra drove him into the snow at her feet, instantly grabbing him by the hair and pulling him up to face her. "Where did you get the weapons?"

The man felt like he'd had his very breath squeezed from his body, he had no expectation of making it off the mountain alive. "You won't get anything from me,"

Korra raised an eyebrow and grabbed his heart beat once more squeezing harder and bringing her hands apart making his body twist on itself. "You sure about that?"

For the first time in a long long time, Ren was scared.

Korra waited till the man turned a blue and released him before grabbing him by the hair again. "TELL ME WHERE YOU GOT THE WEAPONS!"

He spoke between ragged breath from bruised lungs. "I…hope…it hurt, when he poisoned you."

Korra's hands twitched controlling his heart beat as her body filled with rage. Without another word she reached her hands wide and brought the group of Red lotus sliding towards each other each making attempts to scream. She moved her arms and dragged them about like rag dolls so they face the man who'd refused to answer her. She released them and slowly walked alongside them. "I want you all to watch."

She looked at the man again and reached out for his heart grabbing it with both hands. _I hope it was worth it._ She brought him above the group and began to twist, he contorted painfully, and she allowed him to scream. Ren's eyes went wide as Korra moved her arms and the man obeyed. She almost felt like she should stop her. Korra waited till she felt his arms pop as they twisted on themselves, she held him there as he screamed and brought one hand down. She could feel him beginning to break. She raised her hand again and pulled hard. With one blood curdling scream the man snapped, limbs bent in half his spine twisted apart in Korra's grasp. She dropped his corpse in the snow which slowly began to turn red. She looked at the four remaining Red Lotus, one in particular was shaking in fear. She was between the two other remaining Red Lotus, and seemingly the most innocent looking. Korra knelt in front of her and looked into her eyes. "Same question."

"We got them from-"

"No! Don't tell her any-"

Korra stopped the sentence as it left Red Lotus member to her right's mouth with a flick of her wrist he collapsed dead on the snow. She looked at the woman's bright blue eyes which were now filled with tears. "You were saying?"

"We-we have someone on the inside, they arranged a crate of them to fall off the books."

Korra felt zero sympathy as the woman began to sob. "See? Wasn't so hard was it. Ren anything else?"

Ren snapped out of it, she was terrified by the Avatar in her midst. "Who do they have on the inside?" Her fear lapsed into rage as she realized that one of her sisters was a traitor.

Korra nodded her head in Ren's direction. "You heard her."

"I…I don't know!" The woman screamed.

"That's a shame." Korra said and began to raise her hand.

"No! Wait! please! Our assassin, the one who took out Raiko...her name is Lok, that's all I know I swear!"

Korra smiled. "Good." She turned her attention to the other woman kneeling next to the one sobbing. This one was different, though Korra could feel the heart beat racing inside her, she wasn't visibly afraid. "And you? Do you have any information?"

"Not for a monster like you."

Korra simply smiled and stood up, slowly raising her arms bringing the two Red Lotus into the air with them. She could feel the trembling terror inside them, their hearts raced and their bodies shook as they realized they were about to die. Korra moved her fingers feeling the blood coursing inside their hearts. She closed her fists squeezing the blood from their hearts.

Ren steadied her self as her entire body recoiled at the screams of the two women. _What is wrong with her?_ Her voice was shaking as she watched Korra drop the corpses on the snow in front of her. "We'll find the mole, don't worry,"

Korra was barely listening, simply concentrated on the gleam of blood in the snow at her feet. "And them?"

Ren cleared her throat. "We just need to put them back in the cabin, the cliff will take care of the rest."

Korra raised all five corpses in the air, she'd never bent a dead body before, it wasn't the same however. No pulse, no feeling of pleasure as the heart beats quickened under her grasp. She aimed them all at the door and tossed them through the air like garbage bags. She turned to Ren.

Ren avoided her eye contact and nodded at her Kyoshi, who held detonators in the hands, She turned and began to walk away trying to keep Korra far away from her.

Korra followed on a cloud of bliss, _five less Red Lotus in the world,_ she steadied her hand again as it shook. She was getting the hang of blood bending, and beginning to enjoy it throughly. She watched as the three Kyoshi who'd climbed down the cliffside armed the detonators and fired them. Korra turned and watched the middle of the cliffside explode with a deafening crack. As the smoke cleared the cliffside began to fall, giant chunks of rock crashing down one after another onto the cabin. Burying it underneath tons of solid rock, Korra let out a satisfied sigh and turned as the rock began to pile up. _Just like nothing was ever here._

I

sorry for the delay, Life as they say is strange.


	10. Chapter 10

Lin rolled over and slammed her hand down on the alarm that rang incessantly loud, she'd set it for 6 am, normally she'd have died waking up this early. However today, she had a mission to complete. She smiled and rolled over to see if Kya was still comatose, as usual Kya had drank more than Lin, so the alarm had done nothing to wake her. Lin bit her lip and looked at Kya's almost delicate neck she could just imagine a betrothal necklace around it. _Relax, she'll love it...right? We're both in love with each other, why not get married? It makes perfect sense...doesn't it?_ She briefly thought back to Kya's youth where even a particular outfit for the day was too much of a commitment for her. She sighed and chewed her lip, when it came down to it, she only knew what she thought about Kya. _I wouldn't want to be married to anyone...except you Kya...so here goes nothing._

She stealthily moved out of bed and collected her clothes and armor. She and Kya had stayed the night at the hotel and made plans to head back to the Estate in morning. Lin put the keys to her speedster on the nightstand by the phone and double checked she had everything before silently leaving the hotel room. She ran through the options in her head, she needed more information on the betrothal necklaces for starters. Then she had to figure out where and when she'd put her plan into action. She could plan drug busts and large scale multi precinct operations, but the plan of proposing to the woman she loved scared her to death. _Korra! I can trust her Lin rolled her eyes and she won't let Tenzin overfuckinghear!_ She strode down the hallway with a mission in her mind.

I

Korra opened the door to the kitchen and shuffled in, she had been up for 8 hours already and it was only seven. Though her time had been well spent, she shivered remembering the snap of the Red Lotus member's spine and the look of sheer terror on the faces of the others. Her hand twitched as she moved to the fridge for something cold to drink. _I swear if I find out who drank all the orange juice_ she sighed and pulled out the almost empty container and swigged at the rest. She returned to fridge and found a pitcher of water. She froze as she heard the swinging door of the kitchen open and flap shut. She took a deep breath and thought for a second, I made sure I didn't have any blood on me and the parka and snow pants were the only dirty things. She looked down quickly. Just act natural. She turned and raised her eyebrow. "Lin? Where have you been?"

_I should ask you the same question_ Lin could sense something was off, Korra smelt like she'd just come back from running five miles. "I ended up going to the Water Tribe festival with Kya,"

_Okay so far so good._ "Wasn't that two days ago?"

"Uh yeah, we stayed in a hotel downtown for a while." Lin shrugged away her suspicions and reminded herself she was on a mission. "Look I need to ask you something embarrassing…"

_I'm in the clear._ "Uh, sure, what is it?"

"I want to give Kya a betrothal necklace."

Korra went wide eyed. "For real?"

"Yeah...why? Do you think it's a bad idea? She will say yes won't she?" Lin panicked.

Korra smiled. "Are you kidding? Lin she'll totally say yes! This is awesome!"

Lin's shoulders dropped in relief. "You think so?"

"Of course she will!"

Lin smiled. "Okay, perfect, so the betrothal necklace."

Korra thought for a moment. "You can have one made, all the cool kids are getting designer ones nowadays." Korra smiled at the memory of browsing through a catalogue with Asami dreaming that one day they'd live lives more accommodating to their relationship.

"So should I ask her mother or something? Tenzin flipped out when I told him."

Korra burst out laughing. "You told Tenzin?"

"He brought that on himself, he wouldn't let it go so I let it slip, I've never seen him so pale."

Korra stifled her laugh. "I don't know about Katara, if she's anything like my parents...it might be best to wait." She took a drink of her water and immediately her heart began to pound. She hadn't noticed it until now, but the tip of her boot was covered in drops of blood. _Stay cool, she doesn't know anything is up, just play it off._ She moved to lean on the counter keeping the tip of her boot underneath the overhanging cabinets.

Lin shrugged. "I want to propose to her tonight then, she should be getting back sometime soon. Can you and Asami stall her? I'll need a while, and I don't have any idea where I can take her for dinner."

Korra wanted to ask Lin dozens of questions about the planned proposal but the tip of her boot was evidence of what she'd done with the Kyoshi that morning. "I think we can do that." _Okay Lin, please leave._

Lin tilted her head to the side, she was thinking of possible dinner venues when she spotted a small speck of brown on Korra's shirt collar. "Good...can Asami pull any strings for the dinner? I know she has her ways."

"I bet she can get you reservations just about anywhere, but her favorite is Kwong's, she knows the owner personally." Korra kept her voice level and calm even though her heart was pounding in her chest. Her hand began to shake.

Lin raised an eyebrow _something's definitely up._ "Need some whisky?"

"I'm fine." Korra held her shaking hand still. "I'll talk to Asami about it, she can also get you two some clothes as well."

Lin's suspicions subsided. "I have nice clothes already."

Korra raised her eyebrow. "Lin. Asami will take care of Kya and your clothes and dinner, you just concentrate on the necklace."

Lin chewed her lip. "Okay...okay that's doable."

I

Asami rolled over to the sound of her bedroom door opening, she smiled as Korra strolled in. "Morning sweetie."

Korra smiled but still felt keenly aware of the blood stains on her boot. She stealthily took them off and gave them a playful kick sending them underneath Asami's bed. "So you're not gonna believe it!"

Asami smiled. "Oh? What is it?"

"Lin's going to propose to Kya!"

Asami's whole day brightened up. "You're kidding! That's awesome!"

Korra collapsed onto the bed next to Asami and smiled. "She just told me, she's headed downtown to look for a betrothal necklace, isn't that sweet?"

Asami smiled but hesitated at the sight of dried blood on Korra's collar, _what have you been up to?_ She thought back but couldn't remember if Korra had gotten out of bed all night. "So where is she going to propose?"

"That's what I came to talk to you about, she wanted to know if she could use your reserved table at Kwong's tonight. Annnnnd I sorta promised that you'd have dresses made for them at Lee's." Korra gave Asami a wide smile.

Asami laughed. "Of course they can, I'll make the calls first thing."

"Perfect!" Korra rolled over to Asami's side. Asami tried her hardest to ignore the blood on Korra's collar. _It's not her's...maybe I don't want to know whose it is._ So she just smiled and put her hand over the splotch of blood. "I'll also make a reservation for the spa, do you think the Avatar can take a sick day?"

Korra smiled. "I think the Avatar might be able to."

Asami locked her lips with Korra's. "Great" She smiled into Korra's kiss as her hand covered up the blood splotch.

I

Lin had made the trip to downtown in record time, her mission for once was actually going to plan. She barreled through the mass of people crowding the sidewalks of the perpetually busy sixth street. Lin had only been there a handful of times in her life, usually investigating forgery cases. Sixth street was Republic city's premier place for high end clothing and jewelry, if it sparkled or turned heads chances are it came from sixth street. Somehow even though the city had been invaded and half destroyed the crowds hadn't gone down. She snaked her way through a particularly busy throng of people and spotted the first jewelry store. _Go in, find the necklace, get out_ she repeated to herself before entering the store. It was like stepping into another dimension, instantly the murmur of the crowds and noise of the street was gone and replaced with a record player's soft song. She scanned the store, it was lined with waist high glass cases filled with different bits of jewelry. Everything from armbands to rings and hair clips, all made with different materials and encrusted with different stones. _Get in, find the necklace, get out._ She moseyed up to the counter and began a hasty but thorough search. She moved past a clearly in love couple and spotted a display counter with the water tribe logo above it. _Shit_. She didn't realize just how many options she had, dozens of different pendants filled the cabinet which was backed by a board full of different bands. She sighed, this was going to be harder than she had thought.

"Chief Beifong?"

Lin felt like she'd been targeted by a buzzard wasp as a man dressed in a tailored suit strutted up to her behind the counter. She gave a polite smile realizing she did actually need help. "I'm looking for betrothal necklaces," _I swear if you say 'usually the man gives the betrothal necklace'_ but all she got was a raised eyebrow and polite nod.

"We offer quite a range as you see here, of all different materials," The man quickly unlocked the display cabinet and brought up a tray of examples. "Originally they were made of materials you'd find in the different tribes, but they've developed quite a lot in recent years." He held one up with gloved fingers that bore the republic city crest. "This one is from the Varrick-Li industries line, popular choice."

Lin had to fight the temptation to roll her eyes. "That's not really what I had in mind…"

The man didn't skip a beat and immediately held up another one bearing the lotus flower. "How about-"

"No."

The man shrugged and put it down, he gave his neatly trimmed mustache a rub. "These are imported straight from Zaofu, made of rare earth metals, top of the line." The man held it up for Lin to see.

She smiled, she was proud that her sister's dynasty had reached as far as Republic City. The symbol was a picture of the moon but the material shone in the spotlights of the store like only meteorite would. She had an idea forming in her mind. "How fast can you turn out a custom one of the same material?"

"That depends on the design, however cash Mrs. Beifong is King,"

She flashed an annoyed look at the man but ignored him as the design formed in her head. "If you can guarantee it'll be ready for tonight and follow my instructions to the letter, I'll make sure you have a nice commission off of it."

The man smiled. "Your's will be our top priority Mrs. Beifong."

I

Kya rolled over in the bed of her hotel room and sighed at the empty space where Lin was supposed to be. _I can't wait for you to retire Lin,_ She slowly moved to sit up her body aching. She spotted her robe at the end of the bed where Lin had tossed it the previous night and smiled. She let herself fall back and hit the bed with a soft thud, she thought about heading back to the mansion as planned but she was downtown with the whole day to herself. She recoiled at the thud of knuckles on her door. She begrudgingly clothed herself in her robe and slowly moved to the door opening it just a crack. "Asami? Korra?"

The pair smiled at her but Asami was first to speak. "Ready for a day out on the town?"

Kya smiled. "I like the way you think, what's the occasion?"

Korra laughed. "We need an occasion for a spa day?"

Kya considered it and shrugged. "I'll get dressed." She left them at the door and gathered her clothes. _They're up to something…_ she thought but assembled her clothes all the same, even with Korra's aura being anything but normal the idea of a spa day with two of her favorite people was enough to put all suspicions aside.

I

Lin's mission was well underway, she shut the door to her office and decided to check off a few work items as she had a few hours to burn before the necklace was ready. She moved to her desk and saw the day's itinerary, immediately she thumbed through it. _No new attacks on the supply lines, that's good._ She was happy to hear that even the refugees were behaving but bit her thumb at the request for more officers at Chairman Tsusamo's political rally. She was snapped out of her thoughts by a sharp knock at the door. "Come in!" She grimaced as she realized it was Himiko at the door.

"Chief, there was a call for you from Lee's confirming your appointment at noon, as well as a confirmation for Kwong's cuisine for five." Himiko had finished but was looking at Lin like a fan awaiting her favorite actors approval. _Asami can really pull the strings._ "Thank you,"

"I'm really happy for you Chief."

Lin forced herself to be polite. "I'm quite happy myself, thank you Himiko." Thankfully Himiko left and Lin returned to her work. She frowned at the next item on the list, during Kuvira's invasion a lot of the city had been reduced to rubble. Harmony tower was not spared from the destruction, the tower that once provided a popular night spot was now cordoned off ready for demolition. She sighed and threw the report down, _Barzoon really needs to start taking care of this shit for me._ She tensed as another knock at her door broke the silence. "Come in."

Mako sheepishly entered the room looking like he'd been up all night crying, which wasn't far from what he'd been doing. "Hey Chief, just wanted to keep you updated on the investigation."

Lin motioned to the chair in front of her desk, something was clearly wrong with Mako, she'd never seen him so distressed. "Mako...are you okay?"

"I...I've had a rough couple days Chief. That's all." Mako shrugged but appreciated her concern. "I thought of a new approach to tackle the Kyoshi angle to Raiko's case."

"Do tell."

"Ren assures me that the Kyoshi aren't the type to assassinate world leaders, and even if they were the organization is far too big to search. Thankfully they have files on everyone, even their failed recruits"

Lin raised an eyebrow. "You think it was someone who trained with them but didn't believe enough to become one of them."

"Exactly, it would explain how they knew about the long range spears and narrow down the suspects by more than two thirds." Mako explained.

"Good work Kid, I want you to find out where that will lead you, the case is getting old we need some progress." Lin smiled, Mako was and would continue to be her best detective.

I

Asami quickly dropped her robe and slid herself into the tub that awaited her, the hot water stung but quickly soothed her entire body. _Now this is more like it_ She smiled at Korra who was in a separate tub across the room and Kya who was next to Korra. The older Water tribe woman seemed at peace with the world as cuts of cucumber covered her eyes. Asami let herself slide deeper into the water, just leaving the majority of her face above it. She smiled as the spa attendant placed cucumber slices on her eyes. "Korra?"

"Mhmm?" Korra was in her own world of paradise.

"We need to do this more often."

Kya smirked. "Live it up while you can you two,"

Asami smiled at the thought of Kya in a wedding dress. "Oh Kya, you and Lin still have plenty of life to live up together."

Kya blushed, it was rare that someone would talk so candidly about their relationship. "Doesn't feel like it, we both can't stop complaining about our backs or knees hurting." _though I haven't tried this as treatment_ Kya let the hot water of her tub circulate around her. "You and Korra are so lucky."

Korra lifted one of the cucumber slices off her eye and smiled at Asami. "I am pretty lucky."

"We both are," Asami added happy as could be.

Kya bit her lip, for the past few hours she'd enjoyed a total spa experience worthy of a prince with the couple in the tubs next to her. She considered them good friends and owed them both more than she could ever repay, but something was up, it was like they were stalling. She lifted her arms up out of the water and placed them on the edge of her tub. "So what are you two hiding?"

Korra's hand twitched beneath the water. "Nothing?"

Asami rolled her eyes beneath the cucumber slices. "It's a surprise, just relax and enjoy today,"

_A surprise? It's not My birthday, not Korra's or Asami's, Lin's isn't for a couple more months...what am I missing here?_ She bit her lip and shrugged, she was due for a surprise that wasn't a new attacker or threat and the spa day was truly a wonderful idea. "Fine...but if it's a surprise party or if i forgot something you two need to tell me."

Korra smiled as she held her hand to stop it from shaking. "We owe you a party with how much you've cooked for us and helped Asami, but just relax and enjoy for now."

Kya shrugged and let her arms slide back into the warm water, today was another great day in an amazing week. _Not much could make it better._

I

Lin held her arms out reluctantly as a tailor zoomed around her holding up a tape measure. She was surrounded by floor to ceiling mirrors in a fitting room that she usually wouldn't be caught dead in. _Oh you better appreciate this Kya,_ She bit her lip, _I hope you do at least_. She raised an eyebrow as the tailor, a short stubby man traversed his way to a cabinet on the wall almost as tall as he was and threw open the doors. The only items of clothing she'd ever had fitted were her dress uniforms, and that was paid for by the department. "How long will this take?"

The man regarded the question with obvious disgust, he spoke with an accent that Lin couldn't quite place. "Mrs. Beifong, you can rush very many things in life, clothing should never be one of them."

Lin shrugged as she watched the man select a book of cloth samples out of his cabinet and practically sprint back over to her. She fought the instinct to punch him as he held a bright red cloth up to her eye. "I usually prefer a black or a gray."

"That's unfortunate Mrs."

Lin glared. "Why?"

"Because your dress will be red tonight."

Lin froze. "Uh, no, nope, no, not red."

The man hardly paused. "Mrs. Beifong, your dress tonight will be red, and it will be nothing short of a piece of art."

Lin wanted to smash his head into the mirrors that lined the wall but stopped herself, Asami was footing the bill and Kya did often say that she'd look good in red. _For fuck sake...why not_. She rolled her eyes and continued to let the man work.

I

Korra stepped out of Lin's borrowed speedster and closed the door after Kya exited. The crowd soon adjusted to flow around them as she paid the parking meter on the sidewalk. She closely watched Asami's careful exit, she seemed to be doing better but it was clear she was still recovering. "Next stop Lee's!" Korra turned and raised her arms to point at the massive sign on the building.

"You're kidding!" Kya was in awe.

Asami flexed her healing hand and smiled away a stab of pain. "Nope, I've got my favorite tailor set up for you."

Korra's eyes went wide as she saw a flash of gray and police uniform color exit the front, thankfully the moving mass of people provided enough cover. "Uh, you know what! Maybe we should get some food, I think Garlon's is right down this street." She pointed and guided Kya's gaze down the block.

Asami raised an eyebrow but saw a frozen Lin carrying a dress carrier over the shoulder of her armor. "You know I think Garlon's might be a good idea!" She checked to see that Kya's gaze was down the street and waved her arms pointing away frantically directing Lin away from them. _Shit Lin, run!_

Korra fished for more things to hold their attention. "Uh...crazy how we get turned around so quickly, there's a cafe across the street!" Korra pointed.

_...Oooookay_ Kya shrugged her arm out of Korra's hand and turned around to face the crowd, she had never had a dress as nice as the ones from Lee's. Though she had still yet to realize why the girls were taking her on an adventure on the town she was really excited about this part of it. "We ate back at your house Asami."

Korra exhaled realizing Lin had left quickly. "Yeah…true."

Asami smiled. "I hope you don't mind Kya, your appointment is in five minutes, tell you what, Korra and I will grab a coffee and you can get your dress designed."

Kya raised an eyebrow, but she'd given up trying to figure out as to why Korra and Asami were acting so strange. "Ooookay then,"

Korra leaned against Lin's speedster as Kya made her way into Lee's, she turned to Asami and hid her laugh in her hand. "We are awful at keeping secrets!"

"She has no idea," Asami reassured her as she joined her on the sidewalk.

"I hope so, she's going to be so excited!" Korra grabbed Asami by the hand and lead her in the direction of the cafe.

I

Lin rushed away from the trio quickly disappearing into the crowd, she didn't look back and hoped the dress bag over her shoulder hid enough of her not to be recognized. She quickly navigated her way through the crowd with a particular goal in mind. _I can't believe I'm doing this…_ She thought back to the sight of herself in the mirror wearing her dress. She felt totally exposed in it, but the plunging neckline and bright color coupled with her toned frame made for an incredible combination. She blushed at the thought of her in the dress but kept a steady pace amidst the crowd.

_Face it Lin, you've gone totally crazy...the idea of you marrying Kya...totally…amazing?_ She moved right to not collide with a random pedestrian. Without even realizing it she had made her way back to sixth street, she checked her watch, everything according to plan. She waited for the signal to turn green and the mass of people to begin crossing the street before hurrying across herself. The jeweler's she'd visited earlier in the day loomed at her like the high dive in a pool.

She took a deep breath and opened the door, again the noise of the crowd disappeared as she let the door close behind her. She clocked the man she'd spoke to earlier entertaining another couple in front of a large case. The man made a killing selling the loving couples the perfect piece of jewelry. She walked across the carpet and stood patiently by the couple observing them as only a detective could. They were twenty somethings with love in their eyes and money in their pockets, she had her money on the man being an assembly line worker, the woman perhaps a secretary. She raised her eyebrow and remembered how many women Asami employed. However the strong arm around the woman's seemingly frail shoulder made her stick to her original assumption. She saw them more as an obstacle than an exercise of deduction.

_Kya...will you marry me?_ She rehearsed it in her head only being able to imagine a totally dream like apparition of the two of them. _Kya…_ she began again in her head but was interrupted by the man behind the counter.

"Mrs. Beifong, your order is ready."

_It better be after what I paid you, you twit!_ She raised an eyebrow. "Well let's see it."

The man smiled and kneeled beneath the counter opening a cabinet that Lin couldn't see. "I'm rather proud of it, rare earth from Zaofu and a perfect symbol of water tribe and earth bender harmony."

Lin held her tongue as the man presented her with a meteorite pendant with a carving of her family's symbol surrounded by waves. She put her hand to her mouth, it was just what she had pictured in her mind's eye. _Everything according to plan._

I

Korra sipped at her coffee with Asami seated next to her, the cafe was completely replaceable, from the generic waiter to the stamped steel chairs and table. The only thing remarkable about the cafe was that Asami and her were enjoying breakfast completely unperturbed. She carefully set her coffee cup down and took a bite of her sandwich. "You know...I wish we could have more days like this."

"Me too…" Asami drifted off as the red brownish splotch of blood on Korra's top came into her mind's eye.

Korra took another bite of her sandwich and looked across the street at Lee's where Kya was getting a bespoke dress made for the night she had no idea was going to happen. "I wish I was more like Lin."

"Said no avatar ever" Asami quipped and took a drink of her tea.

Korra rolled her eyes. "I mean...she's free...isn't she? She's paid her dues, she's been an amazing chief of police. Now she's free to do whatever she wants...she can just live her life with Kya the way she wants to"

Asami smiled. "One day Korra...one day."

Korra winked at her subtly, the crowd around them provided a good cover but the ever too curious fan or reporter might pick up on them. "I hope."

Asami sipped her tea as a tremor shot through Korra's hand. "Korra...I want you to know...I love you no matter what."

Korra held her hand from shaking and realized Asami noticed. "It's...nothing, it's just been like that for a few days."

"Maybe you should go see a healer?" Asami was growing concerned. Korra immediately realized the idea was not a good one, any healer would be able to tell that Korra's aura was all out of whack. If she was discovered as a blood bender by someone outside of her circle of friends. She didn't even want to think of how disastrous it could be.

"Trust me sweetie," Korra took her hand off the table. "I'm fine."

Asami shrugged. "I just don't want you getting hurt or sick."

Korra's hand twitched. _I won't ever get hurt again_

I

Kya twirled around on the carpet of the fitting room, she was used to the heavy fabrics of water tribe blues and fur. The stunning dark blue dress was something new to her, the dress came to her feet but was split down the center giving a flash of leg every now and again. She smirked at the neckline, her mother would've killed her, but Lin would be blushing. She looked over her shoulder at her exposed back, if she hadn't already professed her love to Lin the dress would have it. "I can't thank you enough Asami, this is amazing."

"It's my pleasure," Asami smiled and leaned her head against Korra who stood next to her chair.

"I'm jealous Kya, I could never pull that off." Korra was so happy to see her long time friend so clearly blissful. You are going to freak when Lin proposes!" Korra smiled at the thought, and realized it was almost time for phase three. She nudged Asami and tapped her watch.

Asami smiled at Kya and pulled out an envelope. "Kya, so to top off the day I pulled a few strings and got a table for two at Kwong's in about an hour, Lin will be there waiting for you." She held out the envelope. "I hope you two have a wonderful night."

Kya got goosebumps, something more than a spa day was afoot, she crossed the room in her perfect dress and took the envelope. She recognized Lin's handwriting instantly.

"We'll take the speedster back to the mansion, I'll have a car from Kwong's pick you up." Asami explained and stood to leave.

"Thanks again you two." Kya smiled and twirled the envelope between her fingers, as soon as Korra and Asami had left she tore open the envelope. A handwritten note was the only thing inside. _'Kya, I'm awful at writing letters but here it goes, you mean more to me than anyone ever has. These past years with you have been nothing short of incredible, I can't wait to be able to spend more time with you once I'm retired. Ever since we were little you've been my best friend and I smile every time I think of you and me spending our days at Asami's estate. I'll be waiting for you at Kwong's_. Kya bit her lip as her heart fluttered, she quickly gathered her things and left for Kwong's.

I

Lin was awestruck as she made her way to her seat, Kwong's had three floors with the top floor being reserved for the best Kwong's could provide. Asami provided a table for two on the third floor, which was a large open space with walls covered in artwork, dozens of tables lit by large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. She felt completely out of place here, her dress made her feel totally exposed but she was more nervous than anything. She held a small purse which was a new experience for her, but it held the end game for the night. Lin had double checked forty times or more to make sure that the pendant concealed in a little red box was still inside.

"Mrs. Beifong, your table is ready." An impeccably dressed waiter with a pencil mustache and slicked back hair came to her side.

Lin followed him onto the dining room floor her dress flowing around her as she did, she hated that Kya was right, red really was her color. She gave the waiter a polite nod as she took her seat. "Can I get a glass of water to start?"

"Right away Mrs." The waiter disappeared.

She placed her purse on her lap smiling as she felt the box inside fall to one side of it. _I can't believe I'm going through with this._ She bit her lip nervously, _Relax, she'll love it, 'of course she'll say yes'_ Korra's voice rang in her head.

The waiter carefully placed a champagne flute full of water on the table. "Waiting for someone or shall we start dinner?"

"Waiting for someone yes," Lin took a sip of the ice cold water and took a deep breath, _Kya...I never thought about getting married...until I realized how happy I am because of you…_ She practiced in her head. _Will you marry me?_ She chomped down on an ice cube from the glass. _Relax...don't blow it Lin._ She was about to take another sip when she saw Kya coming up the top of the stairs onto the third floor. Her jaw dropped, Asami's tailor was in every sense of the word, an artist. Kya's dancer like frame was enshrined by the dark blue dress that made her seem like a goddess floating across the room. _I'm going to screw this up…_

"Hello lovely," Kya came to a stop next to Lin who had stood for Kya.

"Hey…" _Smooth_

_Oh she's so cute when she's nervous_. Kya undeterred by the crowded dining room carefully pressed her lips to Lin's. "Relax," Kya parted as Lin turned a dark shade of red, she gave her a wink and took her seat.

Lin's brain was a short circuiting mess of nerves and self consciousness as she joined Kya at the table. "I'm pretty sure everyone saw that."

Kya raised an eyebrow. "With the way you look tonight, I hope no one missed it."

Lin gave a nervous smile and took a sip of her water. "You look incredible Kya,"

"Asami's tailor is worth every penny," Kya followed Lin's neckline. "And he really knows how to show you off."

Lin blushed again and finished her water as the waiter appeared again. "Two glasses of champagne to start, and we'll need a minute to decide on the food."

Kya smiled. "Champagne huh? Got something else planned tonight?"

_Every detail._ "As a matter of fact, I do."

Kya raised her eyebrows. "Oh? Well clue me in Cheif"

Lin rolled her eyes. "You'll just have to wait till dessert."

Kya reached across the table and held Lin's hand. "I honestly think this day can't get any better. But I'm dying to know."

"It'll be worth the wait." _I've been waiting all my life for you when I think about it…_ She smiled and started to browse the menu as the sound of a piano began to drift across the room. _Just stay calm, you've arrested mob bosses and fought a giant metal robot, you can propose to your girlfriend._ "The steak sounds good."

"I would normally agree, but Asami said the turtle duck is to simply amazing."

Lin made a mental note to thank Asami for the day, she put her menu down as the waiter returned with an ice bucket containing a bottle of champaign. She watched Kya for a moment as her eyes watched the waiter pop the cork on the champagne with excitement. Even without the dress Kya was beautiful, W _hy didn't I think of doing this sooner?_ She took her glass of champagne and raised it to clink the glasses together with Kya. "To an amazing day?"

"To an incredible day, dinner, and woman sitting across from me."

"I can drink to that." Lin sipped away her blush. "I'll take the steak with a side of tomato carrots and lotus tea."

"I'll take the turtle duck with the moon peach sauce." Kya handed her menu to the waiter who dutifully disappeared. She looked into Lin's eyes and smiled. "How did I get so lucky?"

I ask myself that everyday with you. "I'm just glad you did."

"I ought to kiss you again."

Lin giggled. "Trust me there will be plenty of time for that later.

"Promise?" Kya winked.

"All the time in the world." Lin smiled and sipped at her champagne and finally relaxed, _Kya's right, an 'incredible day, dinner' and woman across from me…_

I

Kya finished off the last bite of her turtle duck, Asami was right, the duck was excellent as was everything else that accompanied it. Lin and her had talked quite a lot but the pair were blown away by the food and seemingly endless supply of champagne. "This place lives up to its reputation."

"You're telling me." Lin cut a small slice of her steak and offered it to Kya on her fork.

The steak seemed to melt into her mouth. "Damn."

Lin nodded and cut another slice for herself, the steak was amazing but the nerves kept her appetite low. She took her last bite and decided to leave the rest unfinished, her purse felt like it was made of concrete in her lap. _Do I do it now? Or wait till after dessert?_ She finished her glass of champagne to keep her panicked thoughts at bay. "Do you want dessert?"

"Does a skybison fly?" Kya stopped to think. "Wait, do I get to know what the surprise is after? If I do then desert is optional."

Lin's heart picked up as she bit her lip. "Do you really want to know?"

Kya grinned. "Of course!"

_...you can do this…_ Lin opened her purse in her lap and felt the red felt box inside. "I want you to know Kya," She kept the box in her hand and placed it on the table. "I'm always happier when I'm with you…"

Kya held her hand over her mouth in shock.

"Any more time I spend without you is wasted time Kya…" She held the box out to her and opened it. "Will you spend the rest of my life with me?"

Tears spilled from Kya's eyes. "Oh Lin…" She reached out and touched the pendant depicting a flying boar surrounded by waves like it was a ghost. "It's beautiful…"

_Sayyessayessayessayyessayyes…_

"Of course I will. Yes!" Kya laughed and brushed the tears from her cheeks.

_YES!_ Lin wanted to jump for joy but Kya pounced locking her lips to hers, Lin had always loved the feeling but now it carried a whole new electricity to it. It was like the whole restaurant faded away and all that was left was the woman she loved. She kissed back letting Kya break their lips apart as she sat back and looked closer at her betrothal necklace. Lin smiled with tears of joy filling her eyes.

"I love it Lin." She watched as the chandelier light bounced off the metallic parts of the meteorite pendant.

_YES YES YES YES YES YES!_ Lin could hardly contain herself, she leaned across the table to attach the necklace around Kya's neck. She kissed her as she fumbled with the metallic clasp before it snapped into place. She reluctantly sat back down and admired her future wife's necklace. "And I love you."

Kya smiled and blinked away another deluge of tears. "I will always love-"

I

Asami turned the page in her book, her injured hand had finally healed enough for her to hold the book with it. She briefly checked on Korra who was fast asleep with her head on Asami's stomach. They'd ordered take out and watched a mover in the theater room, before relaxing on the couch. She smiled at her girlfriend as she snored quietly, Korra was beginning to worry her more than she could ignore. _I trust you Korra...but I just hope you aren't doing anything that can't be undone…_ She sighed and closed her book. Asami let her head fall onto her pillow and carefully stroked Korra's hair. Her eyes drooped and began to close as she attempted to fall asleep. Just as she let herself fully relax, she heard an earth shattering boom. "What the?"

Korra stirred. "What?"

"It sounded like an explosion!" Asami got up from the couch quickly her healing body aching and headed to the window. She threw open the doors and immediately held her hand over her mouth. "Oh no…"

Korra practically flew to her side to see what was wrong. She looked out the window onto the city skyline and realized a large portion of of it had been replaced by a huge pillar of smoke and fire highlighted by the lights of the city. "I have to go."

Asami nodded. "I'll bring the car,"

I

Lin's ears rang loudly as she came back into consciousness, she realized she was on the floor of the dining room. Or what was left of it, she stood up and immediately collapsed in pain, she hadn't realized her leg had a shard of glass sticking out of it. She looked herself over her head pounding and ears still ringing. She was bleeding from a lot of little wounds all over her body, but nothing as serious as the shard sticking out of her leg. She tried to get her breathing under control when she realized she was hyperventilating. She grabbed the shard and pulled it, her leg screamed at her, her hands shook as she ripped the shard out. She let out a scream and curled up as the shard fell from her hands. Her heart was pounding, but suddenly it exploded with fear. _KYA!_ She stood and her whole body swayed as her head swam and her leg screamed. She fell again to the floor. She found her voice and screamed. "KYA!" She looked around the destroyed dining room, the roof and most of the outside wall had been destroyed and had come crashing down. Where the dozens of people sat enjoying dinner was now a pile of rubble. "KYA!" She tried to get her bearings. She was in the middle of the floor it seemed. _How did I get here? WHERE IS KYA!_

"Lin!"

"KYA!" Lin screamed and looked to where she heard her. "KYA!"

"Lin!"

Lin began to crawl across the rubble her injured leg dragging behind her. "KYA!" She frantically screamed and crawled across the rubble as fast as she could not feeling her skin dragging against the rubble. "KYA!" She crawled for what felt like ages before she screamed again. "KYA!"

"Lin…" Lin turned her body on the rubble and saw Kya pinned underneath a large chunk of the ceiling. "KYA NO!"

_Oh good...Lin's here._ "Hey Lin…"

Lin couldn't feel anything in her body anymore, all she could see and concentrate on was Kya in front of her, blood soaking her dress. "Kya...No...No...you can't."

"Lin," She looked down at her blood soaked dress. "I'm going to need a new dress"

"It'll be okay Kya…" Lin didn't feel the tears pouring from her eyes. "I'm going to get you out of here."

"We haven't had dessert yet Lin, don't be silly."

Lin choked back a sob. "I love you."

Kya reached up to her neck with a hand red with blood and felt the pendant dangling from her neck. "I know that Lin...I love you too."

Lin crawled forward and kissed Kya on the forehead. "Don't leave me Kya...you can't go...I-I need you."

"I'm not going anywhere Lin, we're going to spend the rest of our lives together? Remember?" Kya coughed hard and a speck of blood fell onto her chin. "I don't feel so good."

Lin began to sob. "Kya…"

"Don't cry Lin, this is the best day of my life." Kya blinked and felt the pendant hanging from her neck, "I love you…" she coughed once more and went limp in Lin's arms.

"Kya?...Kya, wake up…" Lin's body shook. "Kya...wake up," No...no...no...nononononoNO! "Kya come on, don't do this to me." _Why won't you wake up?_ Lin sobbed as she held Kya's body in her arms. _Wake up...come on, please!_ Soon she screamed instead, her entire being in shock from what had just happened. She couldn't feel anything but the weight of Kya's body in her arms and the pain of knowing she'd never see her again. She didn't feel the open wound in her leg, her bruised and wounded body, or time as the hours passed before the rescue crews showed up. She just sat with her wife in the rubble and sobbed, hoping that it was all just some awful nightmare. If it was a nightmare she'd wake up next to Kya and be able to live again, if it wasn't she would just have to hope she would die soon too.

I

While it feels wrong to say that I hope that you enjoy it, I hope you'll remember it and stick around to see what happens next, please review and subscribe.


	11. Dosvidanya

Chapter 10

Korra shot bursts of fire from both feet and shot faster towards the city, she could see a massive pillar of smoke lofting into the night sky, whatever had happened it was flew as fast as she could over the outskirts of the city heading towards the the smoke. Slowly her heart beat began to rise, as she neared the pillar of smoke she saw that it was billowing up from a crater, even beyond the crater buildings had been completely destroyed or blown in half in all directions. To make matters worse it seemed like half the city below her was on fire, she nosed her glider into a dive and came to a fast landing on the nearest street. She had surveyed it from the air, the crater was centered on an intersection almost four blocks ahead of her. Korra scanned the street that was covered in rubble from several buildings that had been destroyed.

The building to her left was ablaze and filling the sky with smoke, she decided to start on that first. She closed the distance between her and the building and spotted the fire hydrant on the side walk. She took a step back and inhaled moving her arms in a circular motion she bent the water from the fire hydrant making it erupt from the street and fed it into the flames devouring the building. The flame kept roaring, she forced the water into the building dousing it like a firehose, finally they extinguished. She rushed towards the door kicking it in. "ANYONE IN HERE?" She frantically began her search, the house was a two story home, she'd kicked her way into the entry way which fed into a living room, kitchen, and stairs to the second floor. She coughed as the smoke from the freshly extinguished fire reached her nose, she moved into the kitchen. There was nothing but a charred dinning table. _Think Korra, who'd be having dinner this late at night?_ She realized immediately she should be searching the bedrooms and stormed up the stairs. With a creak they began to collapse underneath her and without hesitation she bent a gust of air beneath her shooting her up to the second floor. "ANYONE IN HERE!" She screamed, the staircase had landed her on a small floor leading to three rooms.

 _This is taking too long!_ She lashed out at the doors bending bursts of air at each of them throwing them open. She ran into the first door on her left and gave the room a quick scan, "HELLO!" She yelled coughing again on the smoke. This was a child's room, a small twin bed sat across from a miniature desk with toys now charred by the fire. SHIT. She scanned the room again and noticed a small closet, she cross the floor as it creaked beneath her ready to give way at anytime. Korra opened the door slowly, if there was a child inside she didn't want to scare it. She gave an angry cry as the closet was empty save for a burn collection of clothes. She rushed back into the hallway and charged into the room at the end of the hall. This was clearly the parent's room, a large queen sized bed was the center of the room flanked by dressers. "ANYONE IN HERE!" She rushed was getting even more frustrated.

"help!"

Korra's ears perked up. "Is anyone there?" She picked up a quiet coughing coming from under the bed. She practically dove to the floor and looked beneath the bed, the soot covered face of a child looked back at her. "I'm going to get you out don't worry," Korra crouched at the end of the bed and grabbed the frame with both hands. She took a deep breath trying not to choke on the smell of smoke and burning, she grunted and lifted the bed up. The child who the soot covered face belonged to scurried out from underneath. Korra froze in place as she saw there were two other soot covered bodies. She gave the bed a shove and blasted it against the wall with air, she leaned down and grabbed the collars of the people who she feared were the child's parents and dragged them out. She pulled them to the edge of the room and looked at the child who was silently crying. "It'll be okay," She lied, "We need to get out of here, think you can make it down the stairs by yourself? I'll get your mom and dad." Korra's shoulders dropped as the kid stood frozen still sobbing. She knelt down to get on level with him. "Hey, what's your name?"

"Senji" The child answered between sobs.

"Senji, you need to be brave right now, we need to get out of the house and then we can get people to help your parents." Korra stood and began to lift one of the child's parents up and over her shoulders. "Come on." She nodded in the direction of the staircase and exhaled a bit when the kid finally complied. Korra crouched and shot a burst of air from both feet sending her down the collapsed staircase with the unconscious parent on her shoulders. She rushed out the door and put the man down on the sidewalk in the recovery position and immediately rushed back in. The child stood frozen at the top of the collapsed staircase. She took a deep breath and debated bending him down in a gust of air. "Senji, just jump, I'll catch you!"

"I'm scared."

"I know…I know Senji, just trust me, jump!" The kid finally moved but made more of a fall than a jump. Korra bent a swirl of air beneath him to cushion his fall and immediately rushed to his side. "Get outside, I'm going back for your mom." She didn't wait for the kid to comply, instead she shot upwards on a gust of air and rushed back into the bedroom. She heaved the mother of the child onto her shoulders and ran towards the steps landing on a bent cushion of air and nearly sliding out of the front door onto the street. She gently put the mother next to the boy as he stood totally in shock. She surveyed the scene and was relieved to see police airships up above as well as medics flooding the streets. "HEY OVER HERE!"

Two Republic City medics rushed to her side but ignored her as soon as they saw the comatose bodies on the concrete. She took a look at Senji, the boy who had probably lost his parents in a freak incident and would never be the same because of it. She sighed because she didn't have time to feel sorry or cry over this kid's future, she spotted at least two more buildings on her street alone that were on fire. She broke into a run, trying to keep her footing over the rubble that littered the street, she recoiled as her feet hit an arm that was sticking out of the rubble. _I swear when I find the monster that did this._ She ran as fast as she could over the rubble nearing the crater. She stopped as one of the on fire buildings exploded, she immediately shielded her face but was hit with chunks of debris. She screamed in anger and let her rage build as her eyes began to glow, before she even knew what was happening she bent the water from all the fire hydrants on the block and fed them all into the burning house. She bent herself onto a spiraling tower of water and moved to the next burning building dousing it with water till the flames died down. She Guided her water tornado carrying her over to the crater and shot massive spouts of water at the various burning buildings surrounding her. She guided herself down to the ground and let Raava's energy dissipate, she reckoned she had put out at least half of the fires, the police's firefighting airships with large water containers could handle the rest.

She looked down into the rubble and saw a street sign, she gave it a kick moving the dirt from it. _This is seventh street?_ She looked around in awe as the formally bustling down town area had been reduced to an empty carcass. Then it hit her. _Kwong's is on seventh street_. Korra flew into action opting for her glider instead of running across rubble and bodies. Her heart exploded as she spotted where Kwong's should've been. The three story building faced the crater, only the front of the building had been destroyed as well as the roof, leaving only three out of the four walls. _Third floor!_ She shot fire from her feet and arched herself up to what remained of the third floor. "LIN! KYA!" She screamed fearing the worst. _They had to have survived!_ She vaulted a large pile of rubble and froze. Her glider fell from her hand. "Lin?" She recognized the grey haired figured kneeling in the rubble but her voice did nothing to cause a reaction. She carefully moved closer, like Lin was made of glass and if he made a wrong move it would all shatter. "Lin…are you okay?" She got closer and in the dim moonlight she could see Lin was covered in blood. She moved closer and knelt beside Lin and her heart dropped. Beside Lin was Kya's lifeless body. "Oh no…"

"Hey Korra."

Korra was almost too shocked to react, Lin spoke as if they were at the breakfast table, she grimaced as she saw how many cuts and bruises had begun to form on her friend. Even the immaculately prepared dress from Lee's was almost destroyed. She looked over at her dead friend and pushed back tears. "Lin…Kya….she's…"

"She's just sleeping Korra. I'm waiting for her to wake up."

Korra's shoulders dropped, as a police airship came overhead illuminating them all in its spotlights. She saw Lin covered in blood caked with dirt from the rubble, she was amazed she was still conscious. She took another look at Kya and had to hold back her tears, Kya was half buried beneath a large chunk of rubble, her dress was soaked in blood, and she was very obviously dead. "Lin, Kya…she's gone."

"No she's not, she's right here."

Chills shot down Korra's spine, Lin had lost it, _I still need to get her out of here_. "Lin we need to go."

"I'm not leaving her." Lin answered in a quiet but firm voice.

"Lin, she's dead, we have to get out of here and get you to a hospital."

"I'm fine."

Korra raised an eyebrow and looked again at Lin's blood caked face. "Lin, come with me." She grabbed her by the arm and tried to lift her, it was like trying to lift dead weight.

The intense pain finally broke Lin's nightmare trance. "FUCK!" She collapsed again to the ground.

Korra tried to catch her, she hadn't noticed the massive wound on Lin's leg, she grabbed Lin again and picked her up carrying her in her arms. Korra began to worry about how badly Lin had been hurt more than physically. She turned towards the destroyed wall leading back to the streets.

"We can't leave her." Lin placed a bloodied hand on Korra's shoulder.

"I'll come back for her, don't worry." Korra explained, she was not used to seeing Lin so out of it. She crossed the rubble filled room picking out many other corpses buried beneath the rubble. Korra came to the edge and jumped, bending a gust of air beneath them to cushion their landing. Gently she put Lin down and immediately shot herself back up to the third floor on a blast of air. She made her way back to Kya's body and steeled herself for what she had to do. The large chunk of rock that had pinned Kya would make it impossible for Korra to get the body out. She took up a horse stance and punched outwards with both hands making the boulder roll to one side. She was too horrified to cry as she picked up Kya's limp body from the ground, and began to exit.

I

Asami floored the roadster heading into the city, she had kept her father's old habit of installing police scanners in all her cars. She had had the same realization Korra had when she had heard the radio call go out. "All units all units, converge on the center of 7th and canal, begin immediate casualty assessment and evacuation. She gripped the steering wheel harder and shifted her roadster, _If anyone could survive it's those two_ She could see the airships converging followed by hundreds of red and blue lights swarming to the center of the explosion. Republic city was well prepared to respond to things like this, but Asami doubted they'd be focused on finding Lin and Kya. She skidded onto 7th street and began to slow, the police were beginning to cordon off the area. Asami ripped the e brake and came to a stop sliding sideways, she jumped out of the roadster with an aid bag and flash light in hand. When Korra had sprung into action, Asami did the same, she'd grabbed a duffle bag and filled it with all the medical supplies she could and drove like a demon towards town. She had just missed Korra going to work on the flaming buildings, and now approached the police barricade horrified as the smoke rose off the rubble that used to be 7th street. "I need to get through."

"Sorry Ma'am we aren't letting anyone in,"

Asami looked at the cop in the eye, he looked as young as he was naïve. "I'm looking for the Avatar and my friends, let me through."

The tone of Asami's voice made the beat cop hesitate. "Sorry Ma'am my orders—"

"LET ME THROUGH OR YOU'll NEED TO BE EVACUATED WITH THE REST OF THE CASUALTIES!" Asami let loose, she hadn't realized how worried she was about Kya and Lin. The beat cop looked like he'd been charged by a moose lion he immediately moved out of the way. Asami stormed through and broke into a run, she headed directly for Kwong's in an all out sprint dodging chunks of rubble and bewildered cops and fire fighters. The smoke was awful, she could barely keep up her pace, but Kwong's was close. She could just see it when another airship flew over and covered it with its spotlight. She slowed down to a stop, she could see a grey haired figure sitting on a pile of rubble. She broke back into a sprint. "LIN!" She screamed eliciting no response. _Oh no…_ She closed the distance and caught her breath. "Lin? Are you okay?" Her heart began to break, she could see Lin was badly hurt and caked in blood and dirt from the blast. She knelt beside her trying to look at her face, Lin was sitting with her knees to her chest completely oblivious to the outside chaos. Where's… She turned to see Korra atop the third floor of Kwong's holding a lifeless body in her arms. _No…_

Korra couldn't hold back the tears any longer, they silently dripped from her eyes leaving streaks in the dirt and soot that had gotten on her face. She couldn't stand the feeling of someone she'd known for so long, someone she considered almost like a sister, limp in her arms. She carefully jumped and landed close to Lin and spotted Asami. "Asami…"

"She's?"

Korra felt the tears begin to pour down her cheeks, she carefully placed Kya's body next to Lin's rubble pile and hugged Asami. "She's gone."

Asami broke their embrace. "There's gotta be something right? We can get a healer or spirit water or something? Right?"

Korra bowed her head. "There's nothing we can do Asami, healing doesn't work like that…"

"I…" Asami crouched beside Kya's body, even with a blood spattered dress she looked serene. "We didn't even get to say goodbye…"

Korra nodded clenching her teeth as her heart broke, she couldn't even begin to imagine what she'd be feeling if it had been her and Asami. She took a deep breath and crouched beside Lin and put a hand on her shoulder. "Lin…we need to get you to the hospital."

Suddenly Lin began to shake. "Why?"

Korra hugged Lin as she began to sob in her arms. She didn't know what to say, she couldn't see how it would be okay for her. She held onto her angry at herself that she couldn't help. She let go of her as two policemen came sprinting up. "We'll need an ambulance for her."

"Casualty collection points are at the end of canal street, we'll need you too—Chief?"

Lin didn't move she just continued sobbing into her arms. "She's hurt pretty badly, best not to bother her, end of canal street?"

The policeman stared at his boss crying in a destroyed and bloody dress. "Uh-roger, end of canal street."

Korra sighed, she brushed off a tear, she would have to cry later. "Asami can you help Lin?"

Asami nodded and went to Lin's side. "It's time to go Lin."

"I'm not leaving her."

"No…we're not." Korra picked up Kya carefully cradling her in her arms and waited for Asami to help Lin up. She mentally dared the policemen to say anything to them as they moved down the rubble filled street. Kya's body was heavy in her arms as Asami helped Lin limp behind them. They painfully made their way down canal street, some of the buildings still burned and the spotlights from the police airships gave the street an eerie glow. All around them policemen began to help more survivors out of the rubble and fires. Korra could barely hold back the rage burning inside her, someone had bombed her city, someone had attacked hundreds of people. Someone had killed her friend. _Someone will pay._

I

Korra fought back tears as she few her glider across Yué bay, she'd left Lin at the hospital with Asami. Almost fortunately Lin had passed out and was finally able to be taken away from Kya for medical attention. Though when she had time to think about the horrific events of that night she realized someone would have to tell Tenzin. She had seen a few Air Nomads show up at the crater to help with casualty evacuation but she doubted Tenzin himself had any idea. Korra guided her glider towards the tower on the island she'd spent so many months on. She aimed for the main courtyard and came to a quiet landing on the cobble stones. The island seemed almost deserted save for a few meditating Air Nomads and acolytes. Dawn was on the horizon but the candles and lanterns set by the nomads gave the whole courtyard a peaceful glow. She hesitated, she didn't even know how to tell Tenzin. _Do I wake him up? Do I just tell him in the morning?_ Her hand twitched. _Why on earth do I have to tell Tenzin that his sister was killed? Why did she have to die? If I ever find the monsters who did this to us I'm going to—_

"Korra?"

Korra spun around and immediately held her twitching hand still, Tenzin was leading a small procession of Nomads up the stairs leading to the courtyard. They were on their way to an early morning breakfast after their daily meditation session. _Shit_. "Tenzin…"

"I sent some Nomads to help after I heard the explosion, is everything all right?"

 _Why can't it be? I'm sorry Tenzin. I'm so…so sorry._ "No…it isn't…"

"Is everyone all right?" Tenzin was immediately worried. "Was Asami hurt?"

"No…Asami is fine…look I don't know how to tell you this."

Tenzin went pale and stopped dead in his tracks.

"It's Kya…she was on 7th street when the explosion happened"

"No…"

"She's…she died Tenzin." Korra flew forward as Tenzin fell to his knees ready to catch him.

Tears welled in Tenzin's eyes, he was sitting on his ankles now and quietly trying to control his breathing. "Korra, are you sure she's gone?"

Korra's eyes filled with tears, she gave a hesitant nod before embracing her teacher, he'd comforted her a million times in the past it was her turn to help him.

Tenzin blinked and tears began to escape his eyes, _It can't be true, she can't be gone!_ His mind tried to deny it but as he felt Korra hug him he felt an overwhelming sense of dread. His sister was gone. The tears in his eyes burned as he tried to hold them back unsuccessfully, he took a deep breath but it came up as a sob. _She's gone…_

Korra held him in her arms as he sobbed, she cried silently as she looked down at her hand as it twitched. I'm going to make them pay Tenzin. Don't worry. She sat with him as the Nomads looked on sheepishly, Tenzin was their teacher, their guru, their unwavering tether to their culture, it was hard to see him like this. Korra stood and helped Tenzin to his feet and led him out of the court yard down a path leading to a gazebo. She didn't have any idea how to handle this, she'd never thought she would have to. _It'll be okay just sounds wrong, I'm not even sure that it will be._ She let Tenzin sit down on the wood planks and joined him. "I'm sorry Tenzin,"

He took a deep breath trying to shut down the sobs that wrenched up from his stomach. "I—" Tenzin brushed the tears from his face. "I need to tell Bumi…damn it, My mother…how am I going to tell her?"

Korra sighed Tenzin was doing his best to soldier on. "Tenzin, if you need more time I'll radio Bumi,"

Tenzin wiped another tear away. "No, they should hear it from me…I'll radio Jinora she's with the younger two…then mom." He said this to Korra as much as himself trying to convince himself there was a plan ahead of him. He had to keep control of himself, no matter how much his heart ached for his dead sister. He took a deep breath and exhaled. "Thank you for telling me Korra, is everyone else okay?" His voice was still pained but he tried to focus on his plan and what he needed to do.

"Lin was hurt pretty bad, and, she's not doing to well either, the only reason we got her to let go of Kya was because she passed out." Korra painfully remembered the sobbing and screaming of Lin as they tried to separate them at the casualty collection point. A tear spilled down Korra's cheek. "She proposed…I don't know if she told you that or not."

Tenzin smiled imagining his sister with a betrothal necklace around her neck and a smile on her face. "She must've been happy." Tears began to form again.

"The days she was with Lin, I've never seen her so happy." Korra wiped away a tear, she wished she could go back in time to when the two of them could sit and talk over tea in the gazebo. "That was her gift to us," Tenzin smiled. "Happiness."

Korra smiled for the first time that day, she definitely made people happier everywhere she went. She was in awe that Tenzin could be functioning and looking on the bright side of things, _I hope Lin eventually does_ , Korra couldn't blame her if she didn't. The mere thought of Asami dying sent her into a panic. "I need to get going, I've got to make sure Lin's…surviving." She got up and grabbed her glider. "Tenzin, I'll find out who did this to us,"

 _…and then what?_ "Korra…" Tenzin began but fell silent when Korra took off on her glider. Through out all the pain and anguish over the news that Kya had been killed, he felt the faintest bit of fear. Last he had heard Korra was doing worse and worse, what would happen if she found out who had killed his sister? He sighed. _You're strong Korra, be strong enough to chose the right path._

I

Asami sat impatiently in a chair beside Lin's hospital bed she'd been with Lin since she had been admitted with a mass of other casualties. Due to the incredible amount of wounded Lin had been placed on a gurney surrounded by curtains that separated her from other patients. Asami had tried to sleep but the constant screaming and crying from the other patients kept her wide awake. The doctors had checked on Lin every so often, they all took a look at her leg and a chart that hung on the end of the bed and reassured Asami that everything would be fine. She scoffed and held her head in her hands, she doubted anything in Lin's life was going to be fine ever again. Lin had been in shock right up until she'd passed out, as soon as the medics took Kya's body from Korra she screamed and screamed. Asami had never seen someone in so much pain before. She felt the familiar ache of her heart as she remembered all the breakfasts and hungover lunches she'd shared with Kya. She sighed, it was almost like having a mother again. She jumped as the curtains were ripped to the side of their tracks.

"Finally." Korra stepped through the curtains and guided them back closed. "This place is a fucking madhouse." Her shoulders dropped as she saw Lin totally comatose with an IV hooked up to her arm. "Have the doctors said anything?"

"Only that it'll be fine which is absolute bullshit." Asami answered sourly. "Other than that the doctor she saw at the beginning said she had lost a lot of blood but healing and transfusions would help." She felt utterly useless.

Korra sighed. "What am I going to do?"

Asami was asking herself the same question, she walked over to Korra and hugged her tightly. She had felt so numb when she had seen Korra carrying Kya's body, the only thing she could feel was pain and fear. She held Korra and finally felt something other than pain and fear, she felt safe for the first time since she'd heard the explosion. "I love you."

Korra looked up and kissed her gently, there were tears in both of their eyes because of what had happened. She broke the kiss and nuzzled into Asami's neck. "I don't know what I would do with out you."

"Finally!" The curtain ripped open again revealing Mako, who's face immediately displayed confusion. "Uh…hey guys."

Asami blushed and reluctantly stepped away from Korra. "Mako, hey."

Korra scratched her head nervously. "Any news on who's responsible for last night?"

Mako snapped out of his thoughts as the question brought him back to his job. "Yep!" He pulled a notebook from his uniform.

"Witnesses closer to the blast said that it sounded like Kuvira had invaded again." He pulled out several photos of craters in the desert. "And the blast patterns match spirit vine weaponry."

"I thought all of the harvested vines had been destroyed?" Korra raised an eyebrow.

 _All of them that were accounted for._ "There were a lot of vines that Kuvira left behind, I came to see if Lin was awake so I could let her know. I mobilized several SWAT teams to the KWG headquarters."

Korra nearly jumped. "What? Why?"

"When I visited last to get a look a the long range spears they had a stash of spirit vines stolen from Kuvira's factories." Mako replaced his notebook.

 _Ren would never do this…but there is a rat in the Kyoshi._ "Mako, before you send in the SWAT teams, let me talk to Ren."

Mako sighed as he remembered sitting on her couch for hours until he stopped thinking about his brother. "Look I don't think that's a good idea."

"Mako she's took your advice" Korra lied. "She's looking for a traitor" While Ren had been looking, it was because of the information Korra had extracted from the Red Lotus that convinced her there was a mole. Korra realized something even worse. "And you'll need more SWAT teams than you have, just let me try and resolve things peacefully."

Mako frowned as he realized she was probably right. "…fine, I'll radio from the car, I'm going with you." Korra turned back to Asami, she wanted to kiss her again, but went in for a hug instead. "Stay safe, I'll be back soon to check on Lin and you."

 _I can't lose you…ever._ She pulled back from the hug and kissed Korra chastely, if she was going off to risk her life again Asami wouldn't let her leave without one last kiss. "Good luck."

Mako's brain exploded. _What?_

Korra blushed. "Thanks," She turned to leave and raised an eyebrow at Mako's stunned expression. "Come on Mr. SWAT teams."

I

"Headquarters, Detective Mako"

"Detective Mako, Headquarters,"

Mako clicked the radio hand set in the patrol car he'd signed out. "I want the SWAT teams on standby at Headquarters, do not mobilize until I radio in, copy?"

"That's a good copy Detective, over and out."

Korra got in and shut the door. "I'm telling you, you won't need the SWAT teams."

Mako shrugged and fired up the engine, _rather have them and not need them_ , he thought as he pulled away from the curb and moved into traffic. "So…you and Asami huh?"

Korra mentally face palmed. "Yeah…"

"Were you guys gonna clue me in anytime?"

"Mako, Kya died last night, Lin's hurt and heart broken, I've got terrorists to find and other shit to deal with than notifying you." Korra exhaled totally stressed out.

"…Okay…fair point." Mako changed lanes and headed towards the KWG headquarters.

I

Ren pulled another file out from the pile on her desk, she'd spent hours combing through the extensive files the Kyoshi kept on all their personnel. She found one thing more disturbing than Korra's blood bending, the idea that one of her sisters was a traitor to her and the entire Republic. She sighed and took another drink of coffee, the only thing that was keeping her together at this point. She rolled her eyes at the folder in her hands and flopped it down on the desk in front of her. She scooted her chair back and thunked her boots up onto the desk, _one of these day's Ren you'll need a better chair._ She sighed at the suit of armor in the display case near her desk. She'd never had the privilege of meeting the elders who pushed the Kyoshi out from their island nation, but she doubted they had to deal with paper work. There was a knock at the door and she groaned. "WHAT!"

Korra opened the door with an eyebrow raised. "Hey Ren."

"Korra!" Ren stood up from her desk, she was a little less happy to see Korra again, before the prospect of a job was exciting. Now the Avatar's arrival possibly meant she'd have to watch a defenseless person twisted until they cracked. "What brings you here?"

Mako stepped into the office a little shy seeing as how he'd cried in Ren's arms nights before. "The explosion downtown, do you know what caused it?"

Ren rolled her eyes immediately pissed. "Yes, I'm a terrorist who wants to harm hundreds of innocent civilians in the city that i live in."

Korra sighed, she owed Ren one and then some but even Korra had learned to tone down the abrasive and sarcastic comments if something got serious. "This is serious Ren, Kya died in the explosion last night."

Ren's face immediately turned serious. "Oh, I'm sorry." Her mind flashed back to Kya's voice on the phone and her presence at the estate. "What do you need from me?"

"We need to check the spirt vines you have." Mako bluntly answered.

"We don't think the Kyoshi are responsible, but there is a traitor somewhere in the Kyoshi and you have spirit vines on hand." Korra explained further.

Ren was more than pissed, however the solution was simple, show them the spirit vines were fine and not stolen and get back to work. She sighed. "Alright fine, come with me."

I

"Kya!"

Asami jumped, the late and stressful night had taken its toll on her and she had fallen into a fitful sleep on the chair next to Lin's bed. "Lin, Lin it's okay!"

Lin was sitting straight up in her bed hyperventilating and looked around with bloodshot eyes. "Where's Kya?"

"Lin…you're at the hospital." Lin looked at the IV in her arm and bandages on her foot like they were alien creatures. "How did I get here?"

"You don't remember anything?" Asami was standing now beside the bed ready to call the doctors if Lin began to freak out. "Anything at all?"

Lin's breathing finally began to slow, _what happened? Why can't I remember?_ "Something bad happened…didn't it?"

Asami's shoulders fell. "Lin, you were having dinner with Kya—"

 _Kya_ … "Where is she?"

"Lin you have to remember, there was an explosion, a bomb…" Lin remembered the loudest sound she'd ever heard, it slowly all came back to her. _Don't cry Lin, the is the best day of my life…_ "No…"

Asami carefully embraced Lin. "The doctors said you'll heal eventually, your leg was hurt and you lost a lot of blood,"

"Kya…she's dead?" She asked hoping it was a nightmare.

Asami sighed and nodded her head.

Lin immediately felt like she'd jumped into a frozen lake. "Why?" Her voice was hoarse from the screaming she didn't remember doing. she brought her legs up to her chest ignoring the throbbing pain in her leg. "Asami…She can't be dead, she just can't"

Asami held Lin tighter as she began to shake. "Lin…I'm sorry."

"We…we were going to live the rest of our lives together…" She was sobbing, each sob shaking the gurney as Asami held on to her. "We were going to get married."

Asami held back tears for Lin's sake. "I know Lin…I know…" She stopped herself from saying 'it'll be okay'. "Lin, Korra will find who did this, don't worry"

"I don't want to find them, I just want her back!" Lin tried to yell but a sob took her voice away. "I want her back!" Lin sobbed again. "I WANT HER BACK." she yelled.

Asami starred daggers at a nurse who poked her head through the curtains. "What?"

"She'll need to be sedated if she doesn't calm down." Asami wished she could punch the nurse but realized she was right. She held onto Lin as she sobbed and tried to calm her down. She held her still as the doctor quietly came in and injected a sedative into the IV bag. Slowly Lin's sobs became softer and softer as she slipped away. _I'm so sorry Lin…_ Asami sat back down in the chair and briefly hoped Lin could dream while sedated, it seemed like the only solace she could have.

I

Ren lifted the photo of the dead Kyoshi and thumbed in the code, and waited for the statue to separate and reveal the weapon vault door. "I hate to say I told you so."

"Good thing you won't have to." Mako snapped back.

Korra raised an eyebrow. "Do you hide all your weaponry behind statues?"

"Not all of it." Ren turned the dial on the vault door and pressed her thumb onto the scanner.

 _Something is wrong here_. Korra listened as the door thunked and swung slightly open and brought her guard up as Ren brought the door open. "STOP RIGHT THERE!" She rushed in as soon as she saw a masked figure inside the vault. She rushed in and shot two fireballs through the air.

"RCPD! FREEZE!" Mako rushed in right behind Korra.

 _Damn it_. Ren rushed in behind the both of them wishing she'd brought her sword.

Korra froze in her tracks as the masked figure held two fingers to the silver containers on the shelf at the end of the vault. She held out her hand to signal Mako and Ren to stop. "Stop."

Ren almost rushed past but immediately realized what the traitor intended to do, a bolt of lightning would set off the spirit vines and destroy them, the whole building, and probably the whole block and then some. "Who are you!"

"Seeing as I don't see how I'm getting out of this alive…" The figure removed the mask.

"You traitor!" Ren yelled as she recognized her as a Kyoshi she'd trained with. "Masako, you're the assassin?"

 _One way or another, you're going to die._ Korra glared. "You helped blow up Kwong's?"

"One at a time please." Masako taunted. "Ren, no I'm not the Assassin, I'm just the hired help,"

"Hired help?" Mako asked incredulous, the short brown haired woman standing in full Kyoshi makeup didn't strike him as a terrorist for hire.

"The woman who killed President Raiko hired me to smuggle out the spears, and when her organization learned we had spirit vines, they paid me quite a bit to get them one." Masako answered.

Ren was shocked. "You betrayed us…for money?"

"I have a family Ren, unlike _you_ I have a life outside this place, I can barely afford to keep the power on with what they pay us." Masako explained like it would actually make a difference.

"Put your hand down," Mako instructed. "That could kill a lot of people, think about this."

"What do you think the Kyoshi do Mr. Policeman?" Masako asked trying not to let her hand tremble. "We've killed thousands for money in the name of Kyoshi, I only helped Lok because she paid me more!"

"Did you help blow up Kwong's?" Korra's hand was shaking now.

"Of course I—"

Korra's hands grabbed her heart beat before she could finish the sentence she moved her other hand and bent Masako's arms down to her side preventing her from aiming any lightning at the spirit vines. Korra, bent her to the floor and with a twist of her wrists felt her heart pounding in her hands. Korra's own heart pounded in her ears as she felt the wave of pleasure crash over her, another person who harmed her right in the palm of her hands. _She killed Kya, she needs to pay._ Korra twisted her wrist and brought one hand out in front of the other bending Masako's arms behind her with a sickening popping sound. The scream echoed off the walls as Korra brought her arms even further back.

"KORRA! STOP IT!" Ren screamed.

Mako had been too shocked to even realize what Korra was doing until Ren's scream shook him out of it. "Korra. Let her go!"

"She killed Kya!" Korra yelled back in response and gave her wrist a twist making Masako scream as her arms twisted against each other an audible and sickening snap filled the room. Korra suppressed a shiver as Masako screamed. 

"Korra, I want her dead too but you can't do this!" Ren wanted to stop her but she was shaking with fear at the idea of her own body wrapping around itself at the command of the Avatar.

"Korra. LET HER GO." Mako screamed. "We need her alive! If you kill her now we'll only be back where we started! We need her to find the others!"

She felt the panicked heart beat in her grasp, the raw power over someone who had killed someone who had meant so much to her.

"If we find the rest of them, we—you can stop them all Korra." Ren tried.

Korra's hand shook, as she looked at Mako, it wasn't anger or surprise on his face. It was fear. She looked down at her hands and down the room at Masako contorted painfully on the floor. She sighed, and brought her hands to her chest sending Masako flying towards her. She brought them back in front of her and raised them, making her hover off the ground facing her. "The pain you feel now, is only the beginning, once you've told us everything and the rest of the Red Lotus are in jail. I will finish what I started." Korra stared directly into her wide eyes as she told her and felt slightly better when fear wrote itself across them. Korra shot her hands upward bringing Masako crashing into the ceiling then released her heart beat letting her fall to the ground unconscious.

I

Mako closed the back door of the patrol car and walked around to get into the drivers seat, He slammed the door and shut out the noise of the city. _Korra what have you done?_

Korra opened the door and slid into the seat beside Mako. "Ren says she'll pull this traitors file" Korra pointed her thumb to the back seat where Masako laid unconscious and handcuffed arms bent at an unnatural angle. "Then try and find this Lok we're looking for."

Mako held the keys to his car in the ignition but stopped himself from turning them. "Korra, don't you realize what you've done? You're a blood bender! What the fuck is wrong with you!" He exploded letting go more than he intended.

 _NOTHING IS WRONG WITH ME! I'M FIXING THINGS!_ She screamed in her head but let out a sigh instead. "Mako…you don't understand."

"What don't I understand Korra? You're using an extremely illegal form of bending, I heard what you did to the suspect who attacked Asami. I didn't believe it, I've been blood bent before and I remember thinking when I heard what happened 'Korra would never do that to someone.'. What I saw in there made me sick Korra! What happened to you?"

 _What happened to me? YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO ME! EVERYONE I CARE ABOUT HAS BEEN HURT OR KILLED_ Korra's hand twitched. "I stopped her didn't I?"

Mako's eyes went wide, it was unlike the Korra he knew to be so dismissive of something so awful "You did more than that Korra you were killing her!"

"So what! She's helped the Red Lotus!"

"Korra, you can't kill people like that! It's not up to the Avatar to be an executioner!" Mako couldn't believe he was having to have this conversation with Korra.

 _And you're going to stop me?_ She held her hand still. "Just drive, once we get this sack of shit into custody we can find out what she knows."

"Korra there won't be a we to this. I can pretend I didn't just see the Avatar almost bend someone to death. But I can't let you do this again, and definitely not when she's in custody!" Mako waited for Korra to respond but she said nothing, he sighed and turned the key in the ignition.

Korra stared out the window trying to ignore the heartbeats she could feel in the car, _I know I'm doing the right thing…I have to protect Asami and everyone I love, if that means I have to kill every Red lotus I find. Then So be it._

I

Lin sat up in her bed with a start, her sedative had finally worn off, she quickly took in her surroundings. Asami was comatose a chair next to her bed, and she was still in the hospital. She opened her mouth to call out but it felt like a desert. She looked down at her arms, the IV still stuck firm on it along with an array of small cuts and bruises. _Kya_ … Her shoulders dropped, Kya was dead that much she knew. _I have to get to her._ She touched her IV nervously, _if Kya is in the cooler, I can make it there. I have to make it there._ She grabbed the IV and pulled it out barely able to mask the whimper of pain. She looked over at Asami who hadn't stirred and briefly thought of waking her up, _She'll only keep you here Lin._ She took a deep breath and dangled her legs off the side of the bed, she could feel her bandaged leg throbbing but she carefully slid of the bed onto her feet. Again she masked a whimper of pain as her leg screamed at her, I can do this, Lin took a step and began to limp her way towards the curtains.

 _I have to_. Lin poked her head out of the curtains, the overflow of patients had made the hospital staff place her and a dozen other patients in a hallway. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the curtains, her leg screamed at her with every step she took making her limp. She spotted an exit door and limped her way, the hospital made her skin crawl, the whole place smelled too clean. Her leg gave out sending her against the wall, _come on you old bitch_ , She shoved herself off the wall and limped the rest of the way to the door. She quickly opened it and shuffled through, _shit_ , she entered into a stairway.

She'd been to the hospital more times than she could remember, she was on the second floor leaving three flights of stairs for her to limp down. She took a deep breath and began to shuffle her way down the stairs clutching the rail as she did. She could feel the bandage on her leg warm with fresh blood as she hit the last step, _one down…_ Lin leaned on the wall for support. She kept her breathing under control and shuffled her way to the top of the next set of stairs. Lin gritted her teeth and made her way down the staircase, a quiet whimper of pain escaped her lips echoing off the empty staircase. She stopped halfway trying to stay off her injured leg, Lin carefully tested her injured leg again and painfully made her way down the last set up steps. Her body slammed against the wall as she fought to stay standing, _DAMN IT GET UP!_ Her whole body throbbed in pain as she forced herself to her feet and limped through the door. She stopped herself as she found herself in another hallway with an exit door at the end, she made a sigh of relief when she saw a wheelchair abandoned by a closed off room. Quickly she made her way shuffling towards it nearly collapsing into it, she collected herself and began wheeling the chair down the hallway the exit looming at her. _I'm coming_. She bent the metal exit door open and rolled herself out immediately cursing as rain poured down on her, she had lost track of time as well, it was pitch dark save for the street lights. She rolled her wheel chair out onto the sidewalk and tried to get her bearings, _four blocks away…I can do this_. She took a deep breath and rolled her chair in the direction of Police HQ.

I

"Asami?"

Asami shifted in her chair and woke up slowly. "Korra?"

"Where's Lin?"

 _What?_ She sat straight up in her chair and saw an empty bed and Korra standing with the curtains drawn. "Shit! She was here when I fell asleep,"

"This isn't good." Korra said frantically. "She was sedated, damn it, Korra I'm so sorry." _Can't win today can I?_

Korra shook her head. "It's not your fault, its probably good she snuck away."

Asami raised an eyebrow. "How do you figure."

"Knowing her she would've fought anyone who tried to stop her." Korra scratched her head and realized almost immediately where Lin would be headed. "I know where she's going, still got the car?"

Asami pulled her keys out and jingled them, without another word the pair rushed to the elevator. Asami slammed the down button and received only a slight twinge of pain from her hand. "How did it go with Ren?"

"Not good, we found a traitor in the Kyoshi,"

"You're kidding!" Asami said shocked, she stepped into the elevator as the doors opened. _Ren will be out for blood._

"She threatened to blow up the spirit vines they had stashed in their vault…" Korra held her hand as she remembered Masako being bent to the floor.

"And?" Asami already had an idea of where it was heading.

"I stopped her." _For now_.

"You blood bent her didn't you?" _It's not like she had a choice…she would've blown up a whole block…and she is responsible for Kya._

Korra got the chills as she remembered the snap Masako's arms had made. "Yes."

Asami embraced her. "I'm so sorry Korra, that must've been hard."

_What was hard was letting her live…_

_You didn't have a choice_ …Asami broke apart and tried to ignore how Korra didn't seem as torn up over the blood bender as she had been before. She held Korra's hand and took a deep breath, _Korra just wants to protect everyone, how can I criticize her for that?_

I

Lin's wheel chair bumped into the steps to police HQ sending a bolt of pain into her leg, Lin was soaked in rain and sweat, she'd rolled herself four blocks in the pouring rain and still had a ways to go. Her heart pounded at her as she shoved her self out of the chair and limped up the steps leaning on the railing as she did. Almost there she thought as her leg screamed at her and blood dripped from the bandage. She made it to the top of the steps and hurriedly limped her way to the large front doors, without hesitation she bent them open and limped into the main hall. Thankfully since it was the middle of the night it was largely empty save for a rookie at the desk. The rookie stared down the hall as soaked woman in a hospital gown limped her way towards the desk. "Well don't just stand there you fucking rube!" Lin snarled. "Get me a damned wheel chair."

"Uh—" Ah realized just who that woman was he flew into action sprinting for a storage room.

Lin limped the rest of the way to the desk and leaned against it starving for air. "Damn rooks." She sighed as she heard the pounding of boots on the tile floor as the rookie came running down the hallway with a wheel chair in hand.

"What happened Chief?"

"Don't worry about it." She waited for the rookie to unfold the chair and immediately collapsed into it. "That'll be all." She rolled away from the bewildered rookie and headed to the elevators. _It's about time._ She stopped her chair and punched the down button happy to see it light up. She lifted her injured leg and saw that her foot was covered in blood that had dripped from the bandage. _None of this would be a problem if I had just died._ She sighed as the elevator dinged and she rolled her way in not even turning the chair around as she hit the button for the morgue. Lin tried to keep her breathing calm as she realized she wasn't breathing heavy because the physical effort anymore. She had made it all this way to see Kya, and to say good bye. Kya was dead, Lin finally felt that in the pit of her stomach. _She's gone…and besides join her…the only thing I can do is say goodbye._

The elevator dinged and she rolled herself out of the elevator, immediately she began to shiver, the rain soaked hospital gown stuck to her as the cold air of the cooler hit her. She rolled her chair over to the bare rock wall where the list of dead hung. She bit her lip as she found Kya's name, _never thought I'd see your name here,_ she took a mental note of the isle and row number and set off. Lin could barely fight the shivering anymore as the cold enveloped her, if she wasn't already full of pain over the loss of Kya she'd feel something for the massive number of newly added bodies.

For now they only complicated her task, _row 18…row 19…row 20…finally_. Lin stopped her wheel chair and leaned back looking at the stretcher covered by a white sheet. She carefully grabbed the end of the stretched and wheeled herself backwards rolling it out into the center of the isle. Her shivering breath caught in her chest as she saw Kya's hand hanging out from beneath the sheet. Tears welled in her eyes as she grabbed the sheet and pulled it off. Again her breath caught in her chest, and the tears poured from her eyes. "Kya…" She gritted her teeth, grabbed the stretcher and pulled herself to her feet.

Now standing above Kya she smiled, the dirt and blood had been cleaned off, it wouldn't be too hard to imagine she was just sleeping. She grabbed the sheet and pulled it over Kya's blood soaked dress leaving only her shoulders and head exposed. "I remember when you came back for the first time…" Lin's leg screamed but she didn't feel it as she looked down at Kya lying still in the cold morgue. "I remember thinking, 'finally, I'm not alone anymore'" She leaned forward and moved an out of place lock of hair from Kya's forehead. "When I saw you in that dress, I thought I would never be alone again Kya…" Tears dripped from her face down onto the stretcher.

She let out a sob. "And…here I am again…alone…" Lin blinked away her tears as she noticed Kya's betrothal necklace shimmering in the florescent light of the morgue. "I don't want to be alone Kya…I can't do this without you." She stifled another sob painfully aware of how loud they echoed against the stone. Lin leaned forward and carefully kissed Kya's lips, she pulled back and sighed, and lifted Kya's head gently. She unclasped the betrothal necklace and held it in her hand, tears falling from her face she clutched it and collapsed back into her chair.

She began to sob, a painful body moving sob that echoed off the walls and made her shivering worse. _Come on Lin…_ She fought hard to stop herself from sobbing, she leaned back into the chair and wiped the tears from her face. Kya's betrothal necklace felt like it weight a million tons in her hand. She carefully covered Kya with the sheet and rolled the stretcher back into place. "I'll see you soon…" She took a deep breath and fastened the betrothal necklace around her own neck feeling more calm than she ever had she began to roll her wheel chair back to the elevator. She turned to take one last look before rolling to the elevator, before she could hit the button it dinged opening it's doors to reveal Korra and Asami equally soaked from the rain. "Hey you two."

"Lin! What are you doing! You need to be at the hospital!" Asami kneeled down keenly aware of Lin's blood soaked foot. Lin held back a shiver.

"I was just saying goodbye."

Korra noticed the betrothal necklace hanging on Lin's neck and immediately understood. "It's fine, let's just get her back to the hospital." Korra took the handles of Lin's wheel chair and pushed her into the elevator as the doors closed and Asami hit the button she briefly filled with hope that Lin wouldn't be heart broken forever…

I

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	12. Tea for two

Asami yawned and rolled over in bed, she and Korra hadn't made it home till late in the night after dealing with getting Lin back to the hospital. They'd practically collapsed on the bed in their room and immediately fell fast asleep. Asami smiled as Korra slept quietly next to her, _I'm glad you're finally getting good sleep these days._ It was unusual for Korra to sleep through the night without having a nightmare or tossing and turning, but recently she'd been sleeping like a stone. Asami rolled onto her back and sighed, she'd promised to be back at Future Industries today. She flexed her healed hand, it moved stiffly but finally without pain, _now I can get that damn prototype working._ She carefully moved out of the bed so as to not wake Korra and made her way to the bathroom. She frowned at her obviously groggy appearance in the mirror and turned the shower on as hot as she could stand it. Asami looked at herself in the mirror, it had been a tiring few weeks, and between getting attacked and losing Kya she had been run ragged. She slowly stripped out of her night gown, smiling as Korra usually would normally have done it for her before bed but they'd been too exhausted to do anything but sleep. She slid the door open and stepped in letting the almost scalding water cascade down her back. She let herself soak before turning slowly letting the water run down her chest and hips. Asami sighed and let herself relax, _the prototype will work don't worry_ , she closed her eyes and let her head beneath the water. She sighed again taking a deep breath trying to calm herself. The door to the shower slid open on the tracks.

"Mind if I join you?" Korra already naked grinned at her.

Asami moved her head out of the water and wiped her eyes before opening them with a smile on her face. "Only if you behave, I have to be at work in an hour."

Korra bit her lip and stepped into the shower with her. "So that gives us a whole half hour."

Asami blushed. "As much as I want to," Asami leaned in and kissed Korra. "I need—" She kissed her again. "to get to work."

Korra held onto Asami's kiss greedily almost sighing when Asami broke their lips. "Don't you have interns for that?"

Asami rolled her eyes and began washing herself down with soap. "If you want it done right…" She turned and let the water run the soap off her body and immediately tensed as Korra wrapped her arms around her pressing into her body.

"Sure I can't convince you to stay?" Korra said letting her breath hit Asami's neck which immediately broke out in chills.

Asami let her shoulders drop, _I wish I could stay Korra_ , she let herself hang on to the moment. Their naked bodies together in the warm water with Korra's strong arms holding her close, protected and totally safe in her embrace. She sighed. "It won't be a long day, I'm not due back at the New Republic City construction sites till next week."

Korra frowned. "So a rain check?"

Asami turned around in Korra's arms. "A rain check," She smiled and leaned in putting her forehead to Korra's just to enjoy the feeling of being held. "Help me with my hair?" Korra kissed her and obliged.

I

Korra finished washing herself and turned the water off, Asami had left and Korra had stayed underneath the warm water till her fingers pruned. She stepped out of the shower and toweled off trying to ignore her reflection in the mirror, she finished toweling herself off and sighed. She finally gave in and looked herself over in the mirror, flexing as she did. _I need get back to the gym_. Her usual muscular physique hadn't faded much, however the large breakfasts and days dealing with the problems facing the city had left little time for exercise. She turned and walked out of the bathroom letting her bare feet dry on the carpet of their room. She fought the urge to collapse back on the bed and sleep and headed over to the dresser. Korra pulled open her drawer and pulled out a set of workout clothes. She held them for a second and frowned, she'd bought them on a trip downtown with Asami, Lin, and Kya. _Push past her, she's gone now, all you can do is protect who you have left…and avenge who you've lost_. She imagined Tenzin saying it though she slightly felt that Tenzin would never say such a thing. She pulled on the workout clothes and headed out into the hallway towards the small gym in the Estate. Asami had originally had the gym dedicated to martial arts however upon Korra's arrival she'd outfitted it with free weights and other workout equipment. Korra had joked that Asami had only wanted to watch Korra work up a sweat, however she'd used the gym quite frequently before everything had started going wrong. She tried to set her mind at ease as she jogged down the steps to the first floor and headed down the hallway near the kitchen to the gym. She gave a brief nod to one of Asami's few maids and opened the door to the gym. Korra sighed, the gym was laid out like any other, a bench press and a wall lined with dumbbells and mirrors. Try as she might she wasn't in the mood to work out, she began to stretch out all the same stretching her chest by pulling one arm across it. She took a deep breath trying to get her blood pumping as she caught her reflection in the mirror. _'Don't you realize what you've done?_ ' Mako's voice rang in her head, she tried to ignore her thoughts and finished stretching.

She quickly moved to the bench press and put on two forty five pound plates on each side. Korra took a deep breath and took her position on the bench wrapping her hands around the bar. _One…two…_ She pushed upwards and freed the bar from its supports and began to bench press the weight back and forth. The weights clinked as she made her repetitions, counting in her head as she did. _Five…six…seven…eight…nine…ten._ She exhaled and let her arms fall backwards letting the bar slam down on its supports. She sat up breathing heavily and stretched trying to keep her mind busy, however thoughts of what Mako said to her in the car and Kya's death flooded her brain. _What does he know? I'm just trying to keep everyone from getting hurt. That's all_. She took a deep breath and got up to place another ten on each side of the bar. She quickly got back into position and lifted the bar enjoying the slight burn in her muscles, she concentrated on counting and nothing else quickly knocking out repetition after repetition. The bar slammed back down on its supports as she finished and sat up, sweat began to slide down the side of her face as her breath came out heavily. _'You did more than that Korra, you were killing her!'_ She ignored Mako's voice in her mind but immediately held her hand as it began to twitch, as her breath slowed she thought for a second. Korra let her twitching hand go, holding it out in front of her as it slowly twitched in sync with her pounding heart beat. _'Maybe you should go see a healer'_ Asami's voice popped into her head. She clenched her hands finally acknowledging the thoughts in her head. _There's nothing wrong with me…_

Korra put another ten on each side of the bar and flopped down on the bench. She lifted the bar and began to count as the bar touched her chest and she pushed it back into the air. _One…two…three…four…_ 'What the fuck is wrong with you!' Korra bent the metal in the bar and threw it across the room as a scream erupted from her mouth. _THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME! ALL I'VE DONE IS PROTECT PEOPLE_ tears welled in her eyes as her breath heaved in her chest. She held her head in her hands and tried not to cry. _There is nothing wrong with me…there is nothing…wrong._ She tried to control her breathing. Korra wiped the tears from her eyes and looked across the room where the bar and weights had crashed into the mirrors shattering them. _Great. Just. Great_. Korra walked across the room and stopped where the minefield of broken glass began at her feet. She took a deep breath and bent the bar off the dumbbell rack where it had landed and walked it across the room to the bench.

The weights had been thrown off when she'd thrown it so she went back to the glass minefield and began to bend the weights. Korra recoiled as she felt a sharp stabbing pain in her foot, she dropped the weights and hobbled over to the bench quickly sitting down. _Shit._ She lifted her foot and saw a small shard of glass stuck deep into it. She gritted her teeth and pinched the shard between her fingers and began to pull. Pain flashed across her face as the shard made its way out of her skin, she tossed it away and froze as blood began to flow from her foot. Korra's first reaction was to cover the wound and stop the flow of blood onto the floor. She clasped her hand around her injured foot and immediately felt the warm blood coat the inside of her palm. Her whole body erupted in chills as her mind conjured up the feeling of Masako's heart beat in her hands as she bent her arms backwards. _She took a deep breath…there's nothing wrong with me…there's nothing…_ Korra removed her hand and closed her hand letting the warm blood slowly drip to her fingers and wrist. She carefully put her hand back on the wound and let her hand collect more blood. She breathed out calmly and bent the blood off her hand and held it midair between her hands. Korra's heart beat calmed and puttered in her chest as she let the blood drop to the floor and walked out of the gym to get a bandage foot leaving a puddle of blood and shattered glass in her wake.

I

Mako looked through a one way piece of glass from the dark observation room, on the other side in the interrogation room was Masako. He knew she hadn't been speaking to any of the officers, but he liked his chances. There was some debate amongst his fellow detectives as to what to charge her on, for one conspiracy, but that would need more evidence. Mako had run into a problem as well, if he charged Masako with being a terrorist he would have to admit the Kyoshi kept weapons of mass destruction under lock and key. He would have to get more evidence out of her one way or another. However he preferred keeping a turf war between the police and Kyoshi out of his plans. He closed the folder he had been holding and walked out into the hall way between interrogation and observation rooms, he weaved through a few officers and opened the door to the interrogation room. He moved quickly, slamming the door behind him and making a bee line for the chair with out a word. Just as Lin had taught him. He sat up straight and barely acknowledged the prisoner across the table. Mako took his time setting his file and pulling out documents and a few photos. He finally took out the last photograph and looked at Masako. She'd been stripped of her Kyoshi make up and instead of the Kyoshi dress uniform she was wearing an orange jump suit. Her brown hair had fallen in front of her face but a piercing set of blue eyes watched him through it. "Masako, originally from the Fire Nation, daughter of Sora and Tetsuo, joined the Kyoshi when you turned eighteen. Mother of two boys who are currently enrolled at Republic City school for boys." Mako held up a photo of her children in traditional Fire Nation robes smiling at the camera. "The Kyoshi keep pretty extensive records."

"You're wasting your time." Masako leaned back in her chair letting her hair fall back form her face. "With what you've got on me, you'll put me in jail and let me rot, the Kyoshi will kill me before I even get there. You want justice, they want revenge for my betrayal…I'm already dead."

Mako raised and eyebrow. "Is that how you want your boys to remember you?" Mako held the photo up so she could see it. "You want them to look back on you and see their mother the traitor who died in jail?"

She hung her head in shame. "They'll remember me as they wish too."

Mako rolled his eyes, She'll cave eventually. "You know," He looked at his watch just to put on a show. "Republic City school for boys just let out ten minutes ago…do you think they're wondering where you are yet?" Mako bored his stare into the top of Masako's head. "I don't think they have, I think they're just standing at the bus stop waiting for you to come pick them up." Mako began to pack up his folder. "I wonder how long it'll take them to realize you're never coming back." He stood up and tucked the folder under his arm. "I'll let them wait it out, it'll be about thirty minutes before a cruiser pulls up to collect them."

He slowly walked out of the room, and slammed the door behind him making Masako jump in her chair. He strolled back to his desk, in reality Masako's kids had been picked up and were in safe hands. Lin had taught him everything he knew about interrogating criminals, and making them think themselves crazy was step one. He raised an eyebrow as he walked to his desk in the crowded office, the attack on 7th street had set the whole city on edge. Even the detectives were pulling double duty trying to keep everything under control. The office was a chorus of barked orders, phones ringing, and typewriters clacking away. He sat down on his desk and tossed the folder on top, Mako sighed as his eyes eventually fell on Lin's office. He hadn't been to see her yet that day, though he was considering it he really hated seeing Lin destroyed like she was. It was like seeing your hero defeated. _If anyone can get through this, it's Lin Beifong_. He opened Masako's file and began to comb through it for the third time just to make sure he didn't miss anything. It was what Lin would've done.

I

Lin was propped up in her hospital bed staring blankly at the curtain that separated her from the hallway in the hospital. If she cared about the crying and the immense noise of hallways she didn't show it. After her visit to Kya she had been readmitted to the hospital and her leg stitched shut. While Lin didn't particularly listen to the doctor who had spoken to her he had said she had sustained a major muscle injury and should stay off her leg for the next week at least. Her eyes glazed over as her head rested back on her pillow. _This is a five story building…all it would take is a short trip up a few floors and I could jump._ She sighed as she remembered more than a dozen cases where some one had jumped and survived…just barely. Lin went back to the drawing board, barely flinching as the curtain moved just enough to let a woman through.

"Ms. Beifong?"

Lin rolled her eyes. "What the fuck do you want?" She moved her head to get a good look at the woman. _Clearly water tribe judging from the clothes, five foot…four? Blue eyes, thin eyebrows…_ She glared at her like a suspect in case.

"I'm your healer…"

"I don't need one, get the fuck out." Lin growled.

The woman walked up to her bed undeterred and picked up her chart. "Major wound to lower leg, resulting in muscle damage and major blood loss. Seems like you do."

Lin wish she had her armor. "Just go away."

"My names Kya, and with my help you'll be out in two days, without it it'll be maybe two weeks."

Lin felt like she'd been hit in the chest with a sledge hammer. She immediately broke down in tears. "You're name is Kya?"

"Sure is, I was named after Katara's mother, it was a popular name when I was born." The healer bubbled not knowing how much pain she'd caused. "Did you know her?"

Lin was too hurt to respond to the rage growing in her stomach. She simply let her head fall back on the pillow and the tears singe down her cheeks.

The healer raised an eyebrow as she saw the betrothal necklace dangling from Lin's neck. She picked up the chart again and flipped through it to the doctors notes. _Patient in an enraged state over loss of her fiancé Kya, frequently wakes up asking for her._ The chart dropped from her hands. "I…I'm so sorry."

Lin glared as the tears slowed. "Me too."

"I can get another healer in here if you want."

"I don't need a healer. I just need to get out of here." Lin stared. She didn't mean the hospital.

"I can't imagine what you're going through Lin…but please, the fastest way out of here is with my help."

Lin rolled her eyes, but slowly the gears turned in her head, it would be a lot easier to see Kya again if she wasn't under close supervision in the hospital. "Fine."

"I'll be back in a second." The healer smiled and disappeared behind the curtain to get a close by bowl of water.

 _Take your fucking time_ Lin brushed the tears from her face as the healer burst back through the curtain with a bowl of water. "Do you have another name?"

"Another name?-Oh, uh not really, I suppose you can just call me Kat." The healer balanced the bowl on Lin's bed and grabbed her injured leg.

Lin held back a yelp of pain. "Are you new at this?"

"Just got my license actually." Kat smiled unaware of Lin's insult, she carefully unwrapped Lin's wound. "Damn, if you had re-injured it anymore than this you'd probably need an amputation."

"I just need to be able to leave." "Well, give me about three hours and you'll be able to walk, another six tomorrow and you'll be as right as rain." Kat bubbled as she spoke and bent the water out of the bowl.

 _Three is all you'll be getting_. "Okay."

"This might feel a bit strange." Kat began to bend the water around Lin's wound and it slowly began to glow. Lin felt all too familiar warm tingle from the orb surrounding her wound. "So…you were in the explosion?" Kat asked insensitively.

Lin glared. "Yes."

"Do they know who did it?"

Lin sighed. "No. We don't."

Kat made a scoffing noise. "I hope they catch those monsters they deserve way worse than prison."

Lin felt rage building in her stomach, she had heard from a beat cop guarding the hospital they did have a suspect in custody. "You're right about that."

Kat rocked from side to side on her feet guiding the water back and forth. "Do you think they'll get the death penalty?"

Lin's heart dropped, they had imprisoned Zaheer for almost two decades, if they captured who was at fault they probably would get a similar punishment. Life in prison…for destroying mine? "Just shut up and do your job."

I

Asami coasted her roadster into the gravel drive way and hopped out, a bounce in her step, Jade her engineer had not only fixed her prototype but got it running. When it was all said and done Asami had the potential to break a few world records for high speed aircraft. She had hurried home in hopes of catching Korra in a good mood for a late lunch. Asami jogged up the steps and threw open the front door. "Korra!" She called, and strolled into the open foyer. She raised an eyebrow when there was no answer. _Maybe she's taking a nap?_ She quickly negotiated the stairs and headed for her bedroom. She froze in her tracks as she saw a bloody footprint on the carpet "KORRA?" She sprinted for the bedroom adrenaline filling her body. Asami ripped open the door and immediately caught her breath, Korra was laying down on the bed cuddling a pillow. "Korra?" Asami approached slowly when Korra hadn't moved, she carefully crawled onto the bed smiling ready to just relax in Korra's embrace. Asami snuggled up to her and looked over her lover's shoulder and immediately recoiled. "Korra? Are you okay?"

Korra had been awake the whole time staring at blood covered hands. "I'm fine…"

"Korra…why is there blood on your hands?" _What the…_

"I cut my foot…" Korra said only moving with the rise and fall of her chest.

Asami wrapped her arms around Korra holding her tightly. "It'll be okay Korra."

Korra slowly rolled over to face Asami with her eyes red from crying. "No…it won't."

Asami held up a hand and carefully held Korra's face. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Korra held down a sob. "I'm a blood bender Asami…" _I'm a monster…_

Asami looked deep into her eyes. "Blood bending or not…I love you. You'll be okay…"

"I can't stop Asami…"

Asami raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I need it Asami…" Korra was silently crying now.

Asami's heart dropped. "Korra…"

Korra's hand shook as she spoke, her whole body felt like it didn't want her to speak. "I can't stop it…every time I do it, it just feels better and better. I finally feel in control. I can feel their hearts beating Asami…"

Asami slowly stiffened as a chill went down her spine. _What's happened to you?_

Korra cried. "I know its wrong…" She let out a sob. "But its the only way I can finally protect you…all of you…"

Tears welled in the back of Asami's eyes. "Korra…" Words failed her, she could sense the pain in the Avatar's heart and held her close. She held her as Korra began to sob in her arms. She could count on one hand how many times she'd seen Korra cry this hard, she could almost feel the pain radiating from her body. She nuzzled against Korra's head and slowly rubbed her back as she kept sobbing. "Korra, I think we need to talk to Tenzin…"

 _He'll be so disappointed._ "Not him…I can't Asami…"

Asami thought. "Korra you need to talk to someone…you need to get help…you know that."

_She's right…_

"I'll start looking for someone, I promise I'll find someone soon." Asami embraced Korra and nearly jumped when the phone began to ring. _You've got to be kidding me._

"It could be the hospital." Korra said into Asami's shoulder.

Asami sighed and reluctantly let go of Korra to reach the phone. "Hello?"

"Asami. It's Lin, tell Korra I need her at the station in thirty minutes." Asami looked back and saw Korra sitting up on the side of the bed. "Korra can't Lin…"

"I'll meet her there…" Korra brushed the tears from her eyes.

"Korra you can't be serious."

"Does she need my help?"

Asami's shoulders dropped. "Korra, you can't go."

"I have to." Korra stood wincing as her injured foot pressed down on her boot. "Lin, what do you need Korra for?" Asami spat into the phone.

"The suspect she detained earlier isn't cracking…"

Asami slammed the phone down like it was scalding hot piece of iron. "Korra. Think about this. You know where this will end."

Korra's hand twitched. "It might not end that way…"

"Bullshit."

Korra's hand twitched again. "I'll be fine." She could feel the throbbing heart beat in her hands already.

 _…She really is in trouble._ "Please don't go."

Korra held her hand as it twitched. "I'll be back soon."

I

Lin winced as her leg screamed at her, the healer had done her job, but only enough to let Lin walk. She had barely made it to the elevator without whimpering in pain, the elevator dinged and revealed the detectives' office. Lin rolled her eyes and began to limp her way to her office as multiple detectives stopped what they were doing seeing their boss limp across the floor. While the healer and two days in the hospital had helped, her entire body still bore the bruises and scratches left from the explosion. She kept her eyes on her office door and ignored her body screaming at her. After what seemed like an eternity she made it to the door and practically ripped it off its hinges. Immediately she made a line for a spare set of armor she kept in a cabinet near her desk. As Lin felt the armor settle on her shoulders she couldn't help but feel a bit safer. She raised an eyebrow when she remembered she still had a full bottle of whisky in her desk. Lin quickly went over to her desk and grabbed the bottle not even bothering with a glass she took a swig. "Chief?" She gulped down the burning whiskey and sighed. "Come in Mako."

"Chief what are you doing here?" Mako asked with more concern than anger in his voice.

"I heard you had a suspect in custody." Lin looked at Mako, then the bottle and shrugged before taking another swig.

Mako raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you make the regulation that a detective can't investigate a case he has a personal interest in?"

"Fuck that." Lin pulled out her flask and filled it from the bottle. "I need to find the bastards who did this to me."

"And then what?"

"Kill them." Mako's jaw dropped at how blatantly Lin laid out her intentions. His brain was still trying to calculate a thought when knuckles banged against the door.

"Come in."

Korra walked in her teeth clenching as she saw Mako. "You needed me?" She asked to Lin.

"She's in the interrogation room." Lin closed the lid on her flask and hid it in her armor. "Simple good cop bad cop routine."

 _More like bad cop worse cop_. "Chief you can't seriously think this is okay."

"I'm just going to ask her what I need to know." Lin cast her steely glare at Mako.

Mako stared right back. "She won't tell you anything."

 _I think I can change her mind…_ Korra's hand shook and immediately she held it still.

"Then it won't take long." Lin put the bottle back in her desk.

"I can't let you two do this." Mako said not believing what his two friends were contemplating.

"You don't have to let us doing anything, if you don't want to find out who did this to me, Kya, and hundreds of others stay out of it." Lin glared as her heart panged at the mention of Kya.

"The department can't have two suspect deaths in less than a month!" Mako raised his voice.

Lin's whole body tensed ready to snap. "I'm sorry I didn't realized I died yet and you got promoted to fucking Chief of police!" Lin continued to glare. "Now if you have a problem with the way I treat the woman that helped kill Kya, I suggest you file a complaint and get the fuck out of my way."

Mako felt like he'd been slapped in the face, he was too stunned to answer so instead he raised his hands and moved out of her way.

I

Korra held her hand tightly to keep it from shaking as she watched from behind the one way glass. She could already feel Masako's heart beat, a steady pulsing against her own, Masako was calm. Masako didn't know Korra was there yet.

"I'll talk to her first, if she lets anything slip I'll take it from there, if not I'll cue you in." Lin instructed as she headed for the door.

Korra barely heard her as the door opened and shut, instead she kept her eyes fixed on Masako remembering the snapping sound her arms had made under her control. The police had clearly had a healer work on her arms, they were no longer broken and she was crossing them as she sat across from Lin. _T_ _hey should've left them broken._   She had to keep herself from just reaching out and grabbing Masako by her own blood.

"You can't do this." Mako said from the corner of the room.

"I have to." Korra said, she was past trying to convince herself, she knew she was right now.

"Are you listening to yourself?" Mako put his hand to his head.

"What do you want me to do!" Korra turned keeping her hand held tightly as she felt another heart beat now. "The people I love are in danger from these monsters, and I finally can stop them!"

Mako moved backwards against the bare concrete wall. "Korra, calm down."

Korra felt Masako's heart beat pick up, and she looked over her shoulder, Lin was leaning over the table talking to her. Quickly she moved and hit the button on the intercom letting their conversation come into her side of the room.

"This is going to go one of two ways, either you tell us everything and we move you to a secure prison where even the Kyoshi can't find you. Or you continue to keep information from us and it gets a whole lot more painful for you."

"Oh please, there isn't a place on earth you can put me where the Kyoshi can't find me, and there isn't a thing you can do to me to make me talk."

Korra smiled, it was her cue, she turned to leave but Mako was blocking the door. "Get out of the way."

"Korra, you can't do this."

Korra gritted her teeth. "Mako. Get out of the way!"

The hair on Mako's neck stood on end. "Korra. Stop."

Korra let her hand go, it steadily twitched at her side. "If I can make her talk, and I can stop more people from dying I have to do this. Now get out of my way."

Mako stood his ground, _she won't…_

Korra leveled her hand at Mako. "Get out of the way." "Korra you can't be seri—"

Korra grabbed and shot her hand out sideways sending Mako flying across the room into the concrete wall. _I told him to fucking move!_ She quickly shook the feeling of Mako's strong heart beat out of her mind and exited before he picked himself up off the floor. The door to the interrogation room was the only thing she could concentrate on. Korra took a deep breath and opened the door. As soon as she walked into the room she could feel Masako's heart beat begin to race.

"What is she doing here!"

Lin sat back in her chair trying to keep the smile off her face, _finally I get to see you scared you bitch._

Korra silently shut the door behind her and locked it, then she took her time and walked over to the table in front of Masako.

Masako's eyes were wide with fear as she squirmed in her seat. "S-stay away from me."

Korra smiled as she felt the panicked pounding of Masako's heart. "You're going to tell us everything you know, and I mean everything."

"This…this is illegal, you can't do this to me!"

Korra tensed and threw the table across the room, in a second she had Masako by her jumpsuit's collar. "Do you think I give a damn about that?"

"Y-you wouldn't…you're the Avatar."

Korra twitched and bent Masako into the air as her body broke out in chills from the feeling of another racing heart beat in her hands. "I'm the Avatar, and you murdered my friend, you know what that makes you?" Korra brought her hands close to her chest, bringing Masako closer to her. Masako could barely speak, she felt like she was being crushed. "It makes you worthless to me." Korra brought her hands together feeling the blood coursing through Masako's veins and slowly she began to pull her hands apart.

Lin didn't even flinch, she just sat still and took her flask out of her armor. "You sure you don't want to tell us everything?"

Masako screamed as she felt herself being pulled apart. "I'LLTELLYOU"

Korra held her hands still for a second feeling Masako's whole body shaking in pain before dropping her to the floor with a painful thud. She quickly closed the distance and grabbed Masako by the hair. "You better start talking then."

Lin finished a gulp from her flask. "How did they contact you?"

Masako tried to catch her breath and spoke between tears and gasps. "They set the meets, we met at Harmony tower the first time."

Korra kept a firm grip on her hair and turned to Lin with an eyebrow raised.

"I want to know who you met with, who picked up the Spirit Vine and how many there were." Lin crossed her legs.

Masako felt like puking. "They dropped the money in Avatar Korra park, I arranged the transfer of Spirit Vines from a Kyoshi facility…I counted one less and hid it for them to find."

"Tell me about the assassin." Korra said before banging Masako's head against the floor.

Masako cried out in pain "I…I only met her once, once I smuggled out the spear I dropped it off in a bag at the train station, she took the bag from me."

Korra watched the blood began to drip from Masako's mouth. "We're gonna need more than that."

"She was…tall, blue eyes brown hair, scar on her face…I-I don't know!"

Korra's hand twitched. "I don't believe you."

"ITS TRUE!" Masako curled into the fetal position, her whole body hurting because of what Korra had done.

"I believe you…" Lin slowly bent a cable from her armor letting it unspool towards Masako. "And i don't care." Lin wrapped the cable around Masako's neck and dragged her across the floor.

Masako choked against the cable wrapped around her neck. "I'm sorry…"

"I don't care." Slowly the cable began to tighten, Lin brought her in close. Lin waited till Masako began to panic, she grabbed at Lin's cable as much as she could but she was choking. Lin kept her steely eyes on Masako's as she began to flail realizing Lin was going to kill her.

Korra stood still with eager eyes just simply enjoying the feeling of Masako's pounding heart beat. _Just a few seconds more and she'll be one less Red Lotus…_

A single tear rolled from Lin's eyes as her hands began to shake suddenly she whipped her cable to the side and released Masako mid air sending her sprawling. Instantly Lin was on her grabbing her by the collar as she sucked in air. The thoughts burned and shot through Lin's head as to why she should kill her, her whole being wanted to kill her right on the spot. Through the buzzing and whirring thoughts there was only one voice she heard. _'I love you Lin'_ Lin screamed at Masako who was barely conscious enough to muster a terrified expression.

Korra placed a hand on Lin's shoulder. "It's okay Lin…" Korra briefly considered killing Masako herself but instead grabbed Lin and guided her out of the interrogation room as she fought back more tears.

I

Tenzin sat quietly in the gazebo staring out onto the bay trying to meditate, it had always come so naturally to him. However every day since Kya had passed he'd felt unbalanced, he could get through the day but as soon as he had free time everything just felt off. He took a deep breath and thought back to his childhood. 'I'll only be gone for a few months Tenzin,' He remembered her standing so proudly on a ship headed where ever the tide took her. Tenzin smirked as he remembered how mad his mother was when his father had blessed off on her trip. He thought back to when she'd finally returned, a few months had turned into nearly a few years and Kya had changed so much. The free spirit had become more free, and happier as well, she'd found her place in the world at long last.

"Master Tenzin?"

He held still and mentally groaned. "If it's a message from Chairman Tsusamo again—"

"It's Detective Mako for you, he says it's about Avatar Korra and Ms. Beifong"

Tenzin raised an eyebrow _this can't be good_. "I see, I'll take the call in my office." A million thoughts spun through Tenzin's head, he knew Korra had been heading down a dark path. Lin's involvement was surprising, he hadn't expected her to be out of the hospital yet. He quickly made his way through the court yard past a group of nomads practicing various Air bender forms. Tenzin moved inside the main building and hurried to his office sliding the door open and closing it behind him. He smiled at the familiar smell of incense that his father had seemingly made a part of the office he once occupied. _Korra…I hope you haven't done anything worth regretting_. He picked up the phone with a slight hesitation. "Mako?"

"Tenzin! Look I know there's a lot on your plate right now, but I don't know who else to talk to about this." On the other end Mako sat low in his desk with an ice pack on his head.

"What's happened?"

"Korra, she's totally gone off the deep end, she blood bent me and a suspect we had in custody."

"What? Lin didn't stop her?"

"Lin helped her!" Mako tried to keep his voice low but his anger was clear.

"You're joking." Tenzin was more than shocked, disgusted was closer to it.

"Korra blood bent the suspect before we took her in as well, Lin is still mourning Kya but she's out for revenge. Lin seems to be more than fine with using Korra's new ability if it means getting it."

"Shit."

Mako raised an eyebrow, he'd never heard the Air nomad master swear before. "What should we do?"

"I…I don't know Mako." What Mako said was true, Tenzin did have a lot on his plate. "I've got a council meeting in an hour, more plans for Kya's funeral, Nomad patrols of the supply line into the city to organize and plan."

Mako clenched his teeth. "We have to do something."

"Master Tenzin, Chairman Tsusamo is here," An Air acolyte called through the canvas door.

 _Damn it. What can we do? It's the Avatar and Lin Beifong for flameo's sake_. "Mako, right now we just have to hope Korra and Lin will find their way back. I'll try and find a way to help them, but I have to go now." Tenzin didn't wait for an answer he hung the phone up and turned to face the door. _Now to deal with this charlatan._

I

Korra carefully let the clutch out and smiled as the car didn't protest, she was getting better at driving. Once she'd guided Lin out of the interrogation room Lin had nearly ran for the bottle of booze in her office. Without even giving the description of the Assassin to the detectives she'd thrown Korra the keys to her speedster and asked to go back to the estate. Korra wouldn't have refused if she had wanted to, she'd headed out of the city like a cannon ball with Lin in the passenger seat quickly downing the bottle. She would've normally enjoyed a fast drive back to the estate with the sun setting and Asami waiting for her to return. However only one thing was on her mind. "You should've killed her."

"I know…" Lin said wiping a drop of whisky off her chin.

"Why didn't you?"

"Kya would've been upset with me." Lin looked at herself in the door mirror and sighed.

"Do you think they'll say anything at work?"

Lin chuckled. "We do that shit all the time."

"So why didn't you tell them about the description we got?"

"Because they aren't going to find her." Lin took another swig. "We are."

Korra took her foot off the gas and coasted for the upcoming curve. "I like the way you think."

"When I find the Assassin, you and me will make her talk, then we'll destroy the Red Lotus once and for all." Lin took a longer swig from the bottle.

"Lin, if we go to war with them I'm not taking any prisoners. Any Red Lotus we find is dead, are you okay with that?"

"I prefer it." Lin said and tossed the empty bottle out of the car.

Korra nervously steadied her twitching hand, it hadn't stopped twitching since she left the interrogation room. "I'm a blood bender Lin, I will use it to destroy the Red Lotus and protect the people I love…are you okay with that?"

"It got her to talk didn't it?" Lin sunk lower into her seat. "Whatever it takes Korra, I want them all dead."

 _Whatever it takes._ Korra slammed Lin's speedster into gear and floored it down the straightway headed for the estate with a look of determination on her face.

I

"Tenzin, I know how it sounds but this is Korra we're talking about, she's not some crazed blood bending psycho. She's just in a rough spot, she always finds her way sooner or later…" _I hope._

"Asami she blood bent Mako."

 _What?_ "That's not possible…"

"He called me himself Asami, apparently she nearly killed a suspect in police custody."

Her memory flashed back to the blood splotch on Korra's jacket. "Tenzin, I found someone who can help."

"What? Who?"

"A water tribe therapist, very high profile, He was First Lady Raiko's personal therapist for years," Asami remembered back to her childhood. "And mine after my mother died."

"I was thinking she could see my mother, or perhaps one of the Guru's at the Air Temples?"

"You have enough on your plate Tenzin, and I can't imagine what Katara is going through right now…" _And I can take care of her myself._ Asami's ears perked up as she heard the front door to the estate open and close. "I'll let you know how she responds to the idea, I've got to go,"

"Please be careful Asami."

 _What do I have to be worried of?_ She thought to herself unassured Asami hung the phone up and quickly left her and Korra's room. "Korra?"

"Hey Asami," Korra had Lin's arm over her shoulder carefully guiding the drunken Police Chief down the hallway.

"Uh…" Asami's carefully planned speech as to how she was going to tell Korra to see the therapist went down the drain. "What happened to her?"

"Whisky," Korra continued to guide Lin towards her room, she threw open the door and Lin stumbled in slamming the door behind her. "Night Lin?"

"Korra…we need to talk."

Alarm bells rang in Korra's head. "About?"

Asami sighed, this was harder than she thought, she switched tactics. "Come with me." Asami closed the distance between them in the hallway and kissed her carefully, without protest she guided Korra back to their room. "

Is this that rain check you owe me?" Korra smiled.

Asami held Korra's hand and guided her towards the bed not answering, she flopped down on the bed and patted the spot next to her which Korra quickly occupied. Asami looked into Korra's eyes. "I love you…you know that right?"

Korra was taken back. "Asami…what is this about?"

"Tenzin called, he told me about what you did to Mako…"

 _Shit_.

"I didn't want to believe it, but the more and more I thought about it, the more it made sense." Asami's eyes glassed over with tears. "There was a blood stain on your shirt a few days ago, I'm scared Korra, what are you becoming?"

"Asami…I can explain."

" _Don't_." Asami sighed. "Look I love you no matter what, but you can't keep blood bending, you said you were doing it to protect people but you blood bent Mako and nearly killed someone." Asami silently let the tears fall from her eyes.

_I should've killed someone…_

"When my mother died, my father took me to see a therapist Doctor Ahanu, I want you to see him." Asami waited for a response.

"Asami I can't," Korra pleaded  _If anyone finds out…_ she knew she was using that as an excuse, she was more afraid someone would find out she didn't want to stop anymore. She had the power to destroy the Red Lotus, and it felt too good to not use.

Asami looked Korra in the eyes. "You need to, or…I'm going to leave you."

Korra felt like she did when she slammed on the brakes on Lin's Speedster. "But…"

"Korra, I love you, but I will leave you if you don't go see Dr. Ahanu." Asami braced for Korra's protest.

"Okay…"

"Okay?"

Korra reached out and carefully brushed a lock of hair out of Asami's face. "It's not worth losing you, I'll go see him."

Asami was keenly aware of Korra's hand on her face, it took her a moment to relax, she put on a smile and kissed Korra trying to suppress the idea of her blood bending Mako.

I

Lin sat in her armor on the bed with her knees to her chest holding onto a pillow like it was the last life jacket on a sinking boat. Her eyes were blood shot from the drinking and crying, she'd fallen into a fitful sleep only to wake up in a dark room in a cold and empty bed. Her first instincts were to try and find another bottle of whisky, she'd kept the tears and pain away until she rolled over in bed and laid her head on Kya's pillow. Instantly she'd broken down, the smell of incense and Kya's favorite shampoo clung to the pillow like Lin clung to it now. _I miss you so much…_ another wave of sobbing hit her like a brick, she tried to fight it but she couldn't. She was torn between revenge and just wanting to give up. _I need to see you…it's just not worth it without you here. Why did you leave me?…Get a hold of yourself Lin you need to fight, the Red Lotus is out there and they need to be destroyed…what's the point? Say I do destroy them, what then? they'll be dead and gone and I'll still won't have Kya back…_ Lin inhaled deeply trying to imagine that Kya was just in the bathroom showering not in the morgue. _Fuck it_. Lin carefully placed the pillow back on Kya's spot and laid her head on it. She took another breath and bent the cable from her armor into a blade, carefully she placed it against her neck. Immediately she let her arm fall back bringing the blade away and causing her to break down into tears. _She'd never forgive me…_

I

Iroh carefully set his tea cup down on the picnic table next to his little cottage in the spirit world, he took a deep breath and gave a relaxed sigh. Though time passed differently in the spirit world than in the mortal realm he'd been living in the spirit world for decades now. Though he'd traveled far and wide across the spirit world in his time there the sunrises outside his cottage were unlike anywhere else. The sun slowly broke over the mountain top on the horizon and Iroh smiled as he took a small sip from his tea cup. Usually the sunrises were too early in the day for the many spirit's whose home he shared to join him. While he did have the pleasure of entertaining a few mortal guests over the years they'd never stuck around long enough to share in the magnificent sunrises. He turned to his guest and smiled. "I know you might not view your arrival here as a blessing, but I'm happy to finally have a guest who is an early riser."

Kya looked out at the rising sun and smiled.

I

Sorry for the obscenely long wait, blame my work (i sure do) that being said glad to be back but I need to dust off the cobwebs. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter, its midnight i'm hungover and a tad bit sick so excuse any spelling errors.


	13. Akuma the apprentice

Korra looked up at the Kyoshi war ship as it slowly began to float away in the bright moonlight, she hefted her armor off her shoulders and paused. Her brain seemed to sense there was something wrong but it was like it was yelling at her from miles away. She shrugged and carefully opened the balcony doors letting the moonlight spill in revealing a sound asleep Asami. _Safe and sound._ She smiled and strolled quietly to the bathroom, again she paused she felt the subtlest feeling of déjà vu but pushed past it. She carefully closed the bathroom door and turned on the lights, her eyes quickly adjusted and she turned on the shower. Her bare feet traipsed across the tile as she quickly stripped out of her sweaty clothes and sighed. She noticed her reflection in the mirror and raised an eyebrow, she was clearly exhausted from what she had been doing with the Kyoshi. _What was I doing with them again?_ Her mind tried to conjure up the answer but it just fizzle out. She broke out in chills as she felt a familiar pulsing in her hands, Korra looked down and saw the lovely dark red color of blood soaking her hands. She knew she should be panicking, there was no way it was her blood, but instead she just felt relaxed.

Korra looked at herself in the mirror and saw that her whole body was now covered and dripping in warm fresh blood. Instead of screaming she just simply stared at her reflection in the mirror enjoying the warmth coating her naked skin. She carefully ran her hand down her arm and felt the oil slick like red liquid against her fingers. Her heart gently puttered in her chest as she took one last look at herself in the mirror before taking a deep breath and moving her hands in a familiar circular motion. The blood obeyed and slid away from her skin, Korra held it between her hands, more blood than she'd ever seen in a ruby red sphere glinting in the light of the bathroom. Slowly but surely the warmth from the blood left her skin leaving her shivering she could feel the tremors in her hand begin to start. Korra slowly brought her hands apart spreading the blood in the air quickly she brought her hands back and let the blood warm her skin again. She smiled as the warmth sunk into her skin and her hand stopped twitching. _Much better…_

I

"Then I woke up," Korra had spent the better half of an hour struggling to tell Dr. Ahanu the dream she had the previous night. The whole time she had been telling him it felt like her voice was being pulled back down her throat, her whole body fighting it. Asami had dropped her off personally, and though Korra had been dreading the whole idea, it hadn't been what she was expecting. She had expected a cold white room with a straight jacket just waiting for her, a long couch with an evil looking man smoking a pipe waiting to prove her insane. Instead Asami had driven her far up into the mountains to a large house perched on a mountain side with an incredible view. The house was old and welcoming, much like the owner Dr. Ahanu, he was an older gentleman dressed in an old fashioned water tribe suit that made Korra think of her father. While his wrinkled appearance framed with a snow white beard was that of a senior citizen, his voice sounded youthful and tireless. Korra raised an eyebrow and looked up from the couch she was perched on. Dr. Ahanu simply sat in a large leather chair scratching his beard. _You're a psychotic freak Avatar Korra,_ She expected him to say, nervously she looked around his office. While it was definitely an office, this was his house and the office felt unusually homey, with large oak doors and mostly leather furniture surrounded by bookcases on all the walls filled with more books than Korra had ever seen.

"What do you think of blood bending?"

Korra held her head in her hands. "I've heard it referred to as the water tribe's curse on the world. It's evil and wrong."

Dr. Ahanu raised an eyebrow. "I'm not here to judge Korra, I want to know what you think of it, not what others do."

Korra ran her hands through her unbraided hair, she sat back into the thick cushions of the couch and locked her eyes on Dr. Ahanu letting herself feel his pulse in her hand. "I think it's the best thing I've ever felt…"

Dr. Ahanu nodded. "Continue,"

Now it was Korra's turn to raise an eyebrow, _what is his game?_ "I'm sorry?"

"Explain to me, why you think it's the best thing you've ever felt?"

Korra thought for a second. "I finally have control, if I had been a blood bender all those years ago when Zaheer attacked me, I would've destroyed him." _I did destroy him._

Dr. Ahanu merely nodded. Korra ignored the unusually steady pulse of his heart beat and tucked her twitching hand under her arm. "How strict is the whole patient doctor confidentiality agreement?"

Dr. Ahanu smiled. "I'm paid to be discreet, and for you Avatar my lips are sealed."

 _What is he going to do? Run?_ "I killed five of the bastards, twisted them on themselves till they snapped." A shiver ran through Korra's spine.

"And how did that make you feel?"

Korra thought for a moment but realized she could kill him if he showed any sign of betraying her. " _Amazing_."

I

Kya sat on the picnic table long after the sunrise had ended wishing the Jasmine dragon was a bar instead of a tea shop. As the shock of waking up in the spirit world had worn off the wonder of the spirit world had set in. She was surrounded by an incredible landscape of a million colors, but all of it, even the mountain staring back at her didn't counter act the the dread she felt. _I need to get back to her somehow._

"You seem, introspective, my friend." Iroh who was on his third cup of tea stated.

"I need to go back." Kya look down at her hands, her nails were still manicured from her day with Korra and Asami. Iroh had explained it to her, but it still felt wrong. She had died, the happiest moment of her life ripped away from her in an instant. Yet, here she was. "If I can't be here with her I'd rather not 'be' at all."

Iroh looked deep into his tea. "It is important to seek the silver linings in all life throw's at you."

"There is no silver lining to this," Kya reached to her neck and felt the betrothal necklace. "There was…" She stepped off the picnic table. "This is bullshit."

Iroh raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

"I'm dead, I'm in the spirit world, I've fought terrorists and sailed around the world. Lin is through that portal and I can't get to her?" Kya looked at a the glowing spiral of light off in the distance as rain started to fall on her face.

"Kya, I've lived here for years," Iroh held back the memories of his nephew. "As much as I've wanted to contact the one's I've left behind, it's not possible."

Kya looked at the mountain on the horizon and thought back to the many bedtime stories her mother and father had told her. Then another painful thought occurred, _I don't even know if she's alive or not._ She turned to Iroh, "I'm not about to spend eternity without her, you want me to find the silver lining? Well fuck that." Kya began to picture the massive library her uncle had told her about many many times. "I'm going to find a way to contact her, I'm going to bring her here, I'm going to make my own silver fucking lining."

Iroh smiled as Kya evaporated before his own eyes, he took another sip of tea. "Good luck, water tribe girl."

I

Asami smiled as Korra strolled towards her out of Dr. Ahanu's cottage. "Everything go well?"

Korra smiled. "Oh it went great."

Asami looked at Korra and her heart began to pound as she saw blood pouring from Korra's arm. "Korra…what have you done?"

"Nothing? Why would you say that?" Korra smiled and fixed her hair with her bloodied hand, sending a spatter of blood with the flick of her wrist.

"Korra…" Asami backed herself up against the door of her roadster which was parked near the cliff where Dr. Ahanu's cottage was perched.

"You think I'm crazy _don't you_." The blood continued to drip from Korra's hand as she leveled it towards Asami.

"Korra…" Asami stammered and backed up following the roadster.

"You're just like Mako," The spite in Korra's voice was clear now. "You think I'm doing this because I want to?" Korra crossed the grass closing the distance between her and Asami. "I'm doing this to protect you, and you betray me?"

"I'm not…korra…I love you" Asami was near tears as she neared the edge of the cliff and felt her entire body tense under Korra's control.

"This was all for you, ALL OF IT!" Korra spat as she held Asami within her grasp. "And now you betray me!"

Asami couldn't fight, all she could do was cry as Korra bent her body into the air over the cliff's edge. "Korra…no…"

I

Korra sat on the couch a little more relaxed than when she had started talking to Dr. Ahanu. Instead of lecturing or being horrified he had simply listened and asked her to elaborate on her experiences with blood bending.

"Korra, did Asami tell you about my daughter," Dr. Ahanu asked and got up from his chair quickly hobbling towards one of the many shelves.

"She hadn't mentioned her," Korra was curious as to the sudden shift in conversation.

"My late wife was from the fire nation, more specifically a tribal island off the coast," He chose a thick leather bound binder and sat back down in his chair. "The island was home to a tribe that had been some of the most powerful fire benders in the world at the time." Dr. Ahanu opened the binder and smiled pulling out a photo and handing it to Korra. "That's her in the middle."

Korra raised an eyebrow and examined the photo, it was a group of men and women in what looked like sparring gear, all of them smiling. The woman in the middle was taller than the rest with her hair tied back in a tight bun. Korra's pulse quickened as she recognized the tattoo on her forehead. "Your wife was a combustion bender?"

"She was a fire bender like her daughter after her," Dr. Ahanu corrected. "What's a lava bender but an exceptionally gifted earth bender?" He paused and took out another photo. "What is a blood bender besides an exceptionally gifted water bender." He frowned and replaced the photo. "My wife was hunted for her abilities and eventually she was killed, so when my daughter discovered her gift I made it my mission to train her to be unstoppable." He handed Korra another photo.

Korra examined this photo and saw a teenage girl similar to the woman in the previous photo. She couldn't help but stare at the eye tattooed on the girl's forehead. "What does this have to do with me?"

"People fear what they do not understand, people will not understand if they were to find out you were a blood bender." he replaced the photo of his daughter and closed the binder. "They will try to capture you, to control you, maybe even kill you." He took a long look at the Avatar before him. "After my wife was killed I studied the legends of blood bending and used it to find and kill the men and women who hunted my wife." Dr. Ahanu sat back in his chair. "It would be an honor to teach you Avatar."

I

Asami screamed as she woke up in the driver's seat of her roadster parked in Dr. Ahanu's driveway. She tried to slow her heart beat but it was practically jumping out of her chest, _calm down…she'd never do that too you…right?_ She thought back to when Tenzin had told her about Korra blood bending Mako, something Korra would've never done. Asami sat up and stretched herself out trying to change her thoughts, _she's getting help, she's going to get better,_ she nervously ran her finger over a notch in the steering wheel. She nearly jumped out of her seat as the front door of the cottage opened.

"I'll look forward to your next visit Avatar," Dr. Ahanu simply waved to Asami and retreated back into his cottage.

"How'd it go?" Asami asked hopeful, _well no blood dripping and blood bending._

"Great actually, we talked about a lot," Korra had a spring in her step, she'd finally found a master. She quickly closed the distance between her and the roadster and jumped into the passenger seat. She situated herself and leaned over locking lips with Asami.

 _Okay maybe it really did go well_. Asami kissed back with a smile on her lips.

Korra broke the kiss and leaned back into her seat. "I'm really glad you introduced me to him, I think he can help me a lot."

Asami smiled and started the roadster with a low rumble. "You don't know how happy that makes me."

"You know what would put the icing on the cake?" Korra looked at Asami with a smile on her face. "A nice breakfast downtown."

Asami's stomach rumbled in agreement. "I think you read my mind," Asami put the roadster into first and let the clutch out letting the car accelerate out of the driveway onto the road heading back to civilization. _Everything's going to be okay._ She quickly accelerated throwing the roadster into the curve and smiling as it shot out the other end. Asami reached out her open hand for Korra's and grasped her hand when she gave it to her. Asami smiled as the canyon road followed the mountain highlighted by the sunlight, she finally relaxed. _A drive through the mountains with Korra just what I need._ Asami took her hand away to shift the gears and out of the corner of the her eye noticed the slightest twitch in Korra's hand. _Everything is fine, she's getting help now…_ Asami grabbed Korra's hand and held it in hers, the smile reemerging on her face. _Everything will be fine._

I

Ren collapsed onto her couch in little but a robe and sipped on a glass of whisky, she'd been on a mission for the group and earned a day off. Unfortunately she'd also earned several new bruises and a pounding headache. The mission had been a simple snatch and grab, they'd been contracted by the Republic to recapture more supplies bandits had stolen. _They really need to change the policy on comp days_. She took another sip of whisky and laid her head back on the couch. Her medic had recommended water and sleep, she reasoned she was at least half listening. Plus sleep was her way of getting through her days without work. She set her whisky glass down on the table next to the couch and looked at the bowl of reheated noodles next to it. _For fuck sake…what am I doing with my life?_ Ren jumped as knuckles rapped at her door, her body didn't want to move from the couch but she couldn't shake the feeling of curiosity. She could count on one hand how many people knew her home address. Quickly she moved to the door and looked through the peep hole. She sighed and opened the door. "And what the fuck do you want?"

Mako's shoulders dropped. "Look I'm really not in the mood, I'm here on a regulation follow up interview about Masako."

Ren raised an eyebrow, she was no psychiatrist but Mako looked worse off than ever. "…Okay fine come in." She quickly reclaimed her spot on the couch and grabbed her glass of whisky.

Mako closed the door behind him and took the chair opposite the couch next to the record player. He sat down and winced as the bruise he'd earned from standing between Korra and her prey touched the seat. "I just need to reconfirm what you told us about Masako's years with the Kyoshi."

"Yes." Ren rolled her eyes and took a large swig of her glass.

"Yes?" Mako raised an eyebrow.

"It's regulation that you have to follow up right? What I said was correct."

Mako nodded. "But I still have to go over the statement with you."

Ren raised an eyebrow and looked at Mako. "Or you could tell me why you're limping and winced when you took your seat, but if you want to waste time checking a box on a regulation…"

Mako tensed in his chair. "I…" _Korra attacked you, why protect her?_ Mako grimaced remembering the feeling of his entire body straining under Korra's grip. "Korra blood bent me."

Ren stopped mid sip _she's gotten ballsy_. "Why would she do that?"

"I tried to stop her—"

"That was foolish." Ren smirked.

Mako glared. "She was going to blood bend Masako…she did, she's in the hospital with internal bleeding now."

"Good." Ren smiled and finished off her glass as the gears spun in her head, Republic City General was a lot lower security than the Police HQ.

"Good? The Avatar is a blood bender! She's gone completely insane, how is that good?" Mako leaned forward putting venom in his words.

Ren simply ignored him and thought back to the blood soaked snow her and Korra had left behind on their trip to the mountains. "I was simply referring to Masako, Korra becoming a blood bender is…not really my problem."

"I wish I could have that luxury." Mako rubbed his eyes, it had been a rough night for him, and in a month of rough nights that was saying something.

"You do have that luxury." Ren said sipping on her whisky.

"My friend who happens to be, or at least was, a force for good against evil in the world has become a blood bending psycho." Mako stated. "Not really sure how I can just not care about that."

Ren stood up and went to refill her glass. "Want a glass?"

His first instinct was to refuse but then his mind conjured up the image of Lin drinking in her office. _Fuck it, apparently all the rules are out the window anyways._ "Sure…why not."

Ren raised an eyebrow and grabbed another glass in the kitchen _now just to get the message to my squad._ "Long day ahead of you?"

Mako's shoulders dropped. "Chief's no where to be found, we've got officers helping with the 7th street clean up, I've gotten no where on the Assassin. My only suspect is in intensive care—annnd you're naked." Mako's brain slammed on the brakes as Ren strolled out of the kitchen with the glasses and nothing else.

"Well, I think we can help each other," Ren straddled Mako in the chair and handed him his glass. "I for one have nothing to do today, and you have too much to do today,"

Mako took his glass. "Annnnd?"

Ren kissed Mako. "Take a long lunch with me,"

Mako kissed back but realized he couldn't really stay. "I…I really want to, but I need to get back to work."

Ren rolled her eyes. "Come on super cop, the force won't grind to a halt without you for a few hours. You deserve a break."

Mako saw the same look in Ren's eyes when she attacked him. "You…aren't wrong." He kissed her and tried not to spill his glass as he stood up carrying her. _What could go wrong over lunch…_

I

Lin's head swam and throbbed with pain as she tried to figure out where she was and why it was so dark. Instinctively she lashed out and hit only bedsheets, she pulled downwards and was immediately blinded by sunlight. _Mother fucker…_ She rolled to one side and immediately felt her stomach churn and roll. Before she knew it she was retching over the side of the bed, immediately her nose and mouth filled with the pungent stink of puke. Lin coughed trying to breath barely mourning a moment over the now puked soaked carpet. She had lost count of how much she'd drank, but judging by the vague smell of wine she had burned through the last of the whisky and switched to Asami's wine. More puke came up leaving her a coughing mess slouched over the side of the bed. For entirely different reasons than normal she wished for death. She wiped the puke off her chin and rolled back onto the bed groaning as her whole body fought her. _I'd say you're getting too old for this Lin but I guess we're on the same page._

She pulled her pillow from underneath her head and covered her head with it blocking out the sunlight. Fuck maybe I should've killed myself. Lin groaned as the phone began to ring, she rolled over fully intending to ignore it. She lasted all of two minutes before angrily throwing herself up to snatch the phone off the nightstand. Still fighting the swimming in her head she mustered up all the venom she could. "Who the fuck is this and why are you calling?"

"Chief Beifong, this is Barzoon,"

She grimaced as she recognized the smoker's voice. "What do you want."

"Uh well sorta bad news I'm afraid, the council wants me to take over as Chief today. I-uh I know its ahead of schedule."

"Right, fine," _I don't care…do I?_

"If you want I can have someone clean out your office…"

Lin rolled her eyes as she felt her stomach turn again. "I'll be by in a bit, there's not much I need to take with me."

"Sure thing Chief, I'll be sure to—"

Lin slammed down the phone hard enough to make it ring. She rolled towards the edge of the bed without puke on it and crashed hard onto the ground. Her head smacked onto the carpet causing more swimming. _For fuck sake, get off the floor you old bitch._ Lin rolled to once side and unsteadily got to her feet. _You're the damn chief of police now act like it!_ She sighed and bent her armor on from where she'd thrown it the previous night. Lin's mind summoned up her mother. _'You've had your time to mourn, now get even or get over it.'_ She grabbed her keys off the nightstand and headed for her car.

I

Ren collapsed on top of Mako breathing heavily against Mako's bare chest. "Guess you really are super cop."

Mako smiled and shrugged not denying anything. "This is a pretty great way to spend lunch."

Ren licked a bead of sweat off Mako's chest and nipped his neck with her teeth. "I agree." She caught her breath for a few moments more letting her head rest and listening to Mako's heart. "Want to shower?

Mako ran a hand through his hair and looked for parts of his uniform that he'd thrown across the room. "That's probably a good idea."

Ren smiled and kissed him again before springing off the bed on unsteady legs heading towards the bathroom. _'Oh shit I forgot to call in' or 'just need to check in at work' will suffice._ She turned on the shower in the almost claustrophobic bathroom and waited for the water to get warm. She resisted the instinct to lash out as Mako wrapped his arms around her from behind and instead leaned back against him. "You first, I have to make a call." She turned in his embrace and kissed him before strolling out of the bathroom closing the door behind her. In seconds she was at the phone in her living room dialing the KWG headquarters.

"Kyoshi Warrior Group this is Sergeant Kane speaking how may I—"

"This is Sergeant Ren, Masako is in the Republic City General urgent care, you know who to tell." She hung up without waiting for a response and headed back to the shower. _Mission accomplished._

I

Lin sat on her desk in her office looking around her office, she had to leave the files and other paper work, but it was a stunning reminder of how little was hers in the office. She had cleared out all her possessions and gathered them on the desk. An old dress uniform, a set of armor, a plaque marking fifteen years on the force, an unopened bottle of whisky, and a box of office supplies. She sighed looked at the plaque with a roll of her eyes, she'd gotten the plaque as a gift fifteen years ago when she was still a detective. Over the years, the further she got in the ranks the less and less she got little trinkets like that. She shrugged as she realized that probably became her own fault at some point. _Thirty years of my life in this place,_ She smiled remembering her first day clearly in her mind. _'You're my daughter Lin, but if you expect any special treatment you're wrong, you'll have to work as hard if not harder than any other cop.'_ Her mother barked at her in her mind.

 _'Nice work Lin'_ Her mother had said years later at long last, Lin groaned just remembering the case she'd worked to earn that. It was an almost historic triad bust, she'd worked day and night often not leaving the station to take down a triple threat king pin. Then less than a month later a new boss had taken over to which her mother merely nodded and shrugged. Lin couldn't help but beam with pride remembering when she'd been promoted to Chief of Police, the memory would always have a tinge of disappointment as she scanned the crowd and did not notice her mother. _Wish you were there Chief, I really do_ , She threw everything into the box and looked around the office one last time. _I really thought I'd die before leaving this place_. She sighed and grabbed the box heading for the door, as she opened it the murmur and noise of the office flooded her ears. As she shut it the murmur and noise died down completely.

 _Should I say something?_ She looked at the many detectives in their crowded office as they all slowed their work to a stop looking at her. Himiko started to clap quietly at first but then the rest of the detectives joined in. Lin smiled at first but it felt like she'd been punched in the gut, _I'm going to miss this place._ Tears brimmed her eyes as she mustered up the words. "You all know how hard you work, you've earned the reputation that proceeds us as a department." Lin pushed away a tear. "The best damn detectives I could've asked for, I'm going to miss working with you all."

She smiled as tears dropped from her eyes and the applause resumed and died down. "Get back to work," She said playfully and walked out smiling, she closed the door behind her and waited for the typewriters and office murmur to resume. Which dutifully it did soon after, she held onto her box of memories and walked down the hallways and stairs that held so many memories. She moved slowly across the giant entrance foyer her leg putting up a good enough fight to make it painful. She reached the entrance doors that she'd hauled hundreds of criminals through over the years and walked out onto the city streets. Lin unceremoniously tossed the box into the waiting passenger seat of her speedster and quickly got in herself. As she fired up the engine and took one last look at the police headquarters she smiled for the first time in a week. She floored the accelerator and let off the clutch spinning the tires and headed back to the estate.

I

Masako sat up in a hospital bed, this one unlike the one Lin had been confined to was in its own room under police supervision in the hallway leading to it. The room was nothing special an average hospital room with two windows with an unremarkable view, and an unremarkable paint scheme. The doctors had supplies various drugs to cope with the internal damage Korra had done to her, it left her a little foggy but otherwise completely aware. So when a masked figure walked down the side of the building on a cable and stopped at her window, she knew her time had come.

The figure, a Kyoshi in disguise, opened the window silently and equally silently entered the room with a finger held to where her lips would be under the mask. Masako's heart would be throbbing in panic if she didn't know there was no way around this. No escape to be had, no luck to count on, she was going to die in a matter of moments. "Ren?"

The figure dressed in old clothes not out of place in the Earth Kingdom, except for the black mask hiding her identity shook her head. "Masako, you have been deemed a traitor by the Kyoshi council, your sentence is death."

Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks as the distorted but evil sounding voice gave her the verdict. "I know…please, my boys need to see me one last time." The figure moved forward and unsheathed a dagger that seemed to shine in a light all its own. The figure knew that Masako was not asking to live, only to have an open casket funeral. She drove the dagger into Masako's heart in a swift and powerful motion trained into her by years of practice. The dagger sunk down to the hilt as Masako cried out in pain and tensed in her dying moments.

The figure waited till the traitor stopped completely and pulled the dagger from her chest. Masako wanted an open casket, the Kyoshi wanted to send a message. The figure carefully dragged the dagger across the cheek of the dead woman slicing from her ear to her mouth, then quickly the same to the other side. Admiring the handiwork that sent a simple message screaming traitor. With the same amount of stealth she'd entered the figure left the building, never to be seen by the cops who would frantically search entire blocks looking for her.

I

Asami sat at the rarely used desk in her office, usually she'd be in the research and development labs, or supervising the construction of the NRC. However for the first time ever she was doing work to stay away from Korra. Normally she'd have rushed through project approvals and paper work just to get home. However since the nightmare she had all she could imagine was Korra with a bloody hand leveled at her ready to end her life. The nightmare was haunting her like a spirit, but she had put on a believable act for Korra till she left for work. It was now late in the afternoon, she'd finished everything she needed for the day but kept finding more and more things to keep her there. Korra had called over lunch but her secretary had gotten very good at saying 'Miss Sato cannot come to the office at the moment'. Asami realized she'd have to go home eventually, but she was willing to delay that as much as possible. _What the flameo am I thinking, it's Korra, Korra for fuck sake. She'd never hurt me_. The image of Korra walking out of Dr. Ahanu's cottage with blood pouring down her arm said otherwise. She slumped down on the desk on top of a mound of paperwork. _I love her, but…she's starting to terrify me._ She almost jumped out of her skin as the phone rang, she waited for her secretary but swore as she remembered she'd sent her home. Asami cautiously reached for the phone and picked it up. "Asami Sato speaking."

"Hey lovely," Korra responded unusually chipper.

"Hey…" Asami froze up again.

"…Are you okay? Is something wrong?" Korra asked slowing her chipper mood.

"I'm fine, just swamped here that's all." Asami lied flawlessly.

"Okay, so dinners a no then?" Korra had been half tempted to try her hand at cooking but realized the results could be disastrous.

"Uh…probably not sweetie," _I'm still shaking off the idea of you murdering me._ "I've still got diagnostic reports to go over and a revised security plan to sign off on."

"Oh…okay" Korra feigned disappointment.

"I'll probably be in late tonight, don't wait up." Asami chewed on the inside of her cheek.

"Okay, I'm going to talk to Dr. Ahanu soon, I'll probably be a while…guess I'll see you when you get home." Korra said innocently enough.

Asami sat back in her chair a little less afraid of the woman on the other end of the line. "Really?"

"Yep, just have a lot on my mind with what happened, so I figured I'd give him a call and he said come by." Korra explained innocently enough.

Asami smiled. "That's great Korra, I hope he helps…I really do."

Korra's and twitched as it held onto the phone. "Me too."

"Well I've got to go, I want to talk later okay?"

"Finally about that rain check you owe me?" Korra teased.

"Maybe, you'll just have to find out." Asami played back. "But for now I really have to go, Bye Korra."

"Bye lovely." Asami hung up the phone not sure what to think anymore, _she can't be insane, its Korra, Korra doesn't go insane. Korra isn't evil…and she's getting help from Dr. Ahanu what can't he fix._

I

Korra coasted her glider towards the setting sun flying dangerously close to the mountains, the chilled breeze off the rock face was enough to make her shiver. However she'd brought her usual parka as well as a face mask to combat the cold air, and the warmth of the idea of finally getting to train blood bending was bringing her kept her more than warm. The sun was falling fast and she could already feel the power of the moon coursing through her veins. Korra didn't have to look behind her to know it was a full moon tonight. She banked and followed the curve of the mountain building up speed on a burst of fire. Her hands were steady on the handles of the glider as she felt the moon warm her as it filled the night sky. As she guided her glider over a smaller mountain top following the only road for miles she spotted Dr. Ahanu's cottage. The quaint and welcoming qualities disappeared with the sun, she could see Dr. Ahanu had lit fires illuminating his house in a mix of moonlight and fire. _So this is where my training begins_. She blasted fire from her feet and dove the glider towards the house, in seconds she was close enough. Korra collapsed her glider and fell the last few feet rolling into it and out onto her feet.

"Ah, Korra, glad you could get here so soon." Dr. Ahanu came into the firelight.

Korra raised an eyebrow, Dr. Ahanu was dressed in an armless robe that was so dark blue it seemed black. "Do I get a uniform?"

"This is a training outfit, one of my own design," Dr. Ahanu said proudly. "I'm really very glad you can come, I'm glad you brought a mask as well. There is something I haven't told you."

Immediately alarm bells rang in Korra's head and her hand tightened on her glider. "And that is?"

"You aren't the only one I'm training." Dr. Ahanu said with unmistakable happiness.

"What?" _No one can find out about this_.

"Please don't be alarmed, originally I had a patient much like yourself who struggled with the social stigma of blood bending. When my wife died, I turned to her to teach me, when she was long gone another patient came along. Instead of turning him away I began to teach him what I knew, he's here now. Over the years Korra, there have been many like yourself shunned by people who can't understand what blood bending brings us. Over the years I have taught them all, tonight we gather together to train with one another under the full moon. Tonight Korra, we are not alone."

Korra's alarm bells slowed to a stop, she had never even imagined there would be more like her. When Dr. Ahanu had told her his secret she'd felt like a survivor at sea finding another survivor. _A whole group? People who have felt blood bending and didn't run?_ It was almost too good to be true. "How many?"

"Tonight only four showed up, including yourself," Dr. Ahanu pulled up a face mask of his own covering all but his eyes and forehead. "I know everyone, but no one knows each other, this way we can keep our lives out of the moonlight hidden. As well as train to master blood bending and ourselves."

"…this is amazing." Korra said awestruck and eager.

"Oh Korra you'll enjoy tonight I can tell, let me show you around." Dr. Ahanu waved for her to follow as he passed one of the many fires burning. "For the purposes of anonymity, perhaps you should use another name? Have any in mind?"

Korra thought for a moment, still following Dr. Ahanu on the soft grass around the perimeter of the house. She grinned beneath her mask. "I'll go by Akuma."

Dr. Ahanu smiled and turned. "A wise choice…an apt choice," He continued until they were behind the house in a small clearing with the soft grass ending at the side of the mountain.

Korra looked as three figures dressed in similar attire to that of Dr. Ahanu's stood around a larger fire chatting. One was a shorter female figure with almost unbelievably long hair spewing from the back of a half mask. The other two male figures were not much taller than Korra, stocky and, by the amount of muscle on their frames, well trained.

"Good evening my friends," Dr. Ahanu joined the small group at the fire. "I'm happy to say we have a new member, this is Akuma."

Korra stood next to him in the fire light and bowed in greeting and watching the fire lit blue eyes of her new friends. "I'm glad to meet you all." The female figure was the first to bow in response followed by the other two.

"Nice to meet you Akuma, I'm Hama."

Korra raised an eyebrow. "Hama?"

Hama nodded. "First blood bender in history, figured it was a good name to choose."

"My names Taro," One of the male figures gave a quick bow.

"Shiro, nice to meet you Akuma." Shiro's mask unlike the others was a dark almost blood like red instead of blue. Other than that he was nearly identical to Shiro in the inconsistent light of the fire. "How much have you trained so far?"

Korra thought back to the various instances she'd blood bent and immediately her hand started to twitch. "Just a bit, it's always been sort of uh, spur of the moment."

"That's how most of us found blood bending," Shiro offered.

Korra couldn't help but notice his eyes were locked onto the fire. "How long have you three been training here?"

"Hama is our newest member she's been here for four full moons, Taro found us a few before that, and Shiro here is my first." Dr. Ahanu patted Shiro on the shoulder proudly.

"I've been wanting another sparring partner for a while, these two go too easy on me." Hama jabbed.

"How much practice have you gotten outside of this?" Korra asked and immediately all four heads looked at her.

"You can blood bend without the full moon?" Dr. Ahanu and Hama asked in equally surprised unison.

"Oh…uh" _Shit!_ Korra immediately realized anonymity didn't really work if there was only one Avatar in the world. "Sometimes…"

"How did you pull that off?" Taro asked with a note of disbelief.

"I…I have a lot of bad days." Korra said thankful for the mask that kept her identity secret better than her mouth did.

"I want to spar with her." Shiro said confidently.

"Spar? With blood bending?"

"What I've developed and what my students have learned is a potent mix of water bending and blood bending. During sparing, think of blood bending as a choke hold to secure your opponent's demise." Dr. Ahanu explained with enthusiasm befitting of a teacher.

Korra nodded. "Sounds like fun."

"Then let's get started."

I

Kya had spent the day, or the length of time she could assume amounted to a day in the mortal realm, in Wan Shi Tong's Library. After a brief encounter with Wan Shi Tong himself, she was given free reign of the library and set to work. Kya sat against a shelf with a fox across her lap absentmindedly stroking the fox's head as well as using it as a book rest. She had been so confident that she'd be able to find a way, any way, to contact Lin but book after book had yielded nothing. _Lin…I know I can get to you. I know I can…I just can't figure it out._ She slammed the book shut and tossed it at the opposite shelf angrily. The fox dutifully sprang from her lap and recovered the book bringing it back to her with its tail wagging.

Kya raised an eyebrow but rolled her eyes and began to pet the fox's head anyways. "You wouldn't happen to know how to get a message to the outside world would you?" She sighed when the fox merely tilted its head. "Neither do I." Kya pulled her legs to her chest and rested her forehead on her knees. _I will get to you…_

"I know it's around here somewhere."

Kya barely stirred, she had over estimated how hard it was to get into the library, _guess they have guests more often these days_. She thought for a moment. _I know that voice_. "JINORA!"

I

Korra felt her whole body tense, she'd felt it before but it still was unsettling, and incredibly painful. Her whole body felt like it was straining against every bone and joint, her adrenaline pounded away in her heart but was useless. _Don't lose it_. She was meant to endure this but every fiber of her being wanted to fight back.

"That's enough Shiro." Dr. Ahanu

Korra collapsed on the ground but immediately sprang to her feet with her body still screaming in pain. She launched two frozen ice spears at Shiro who expertly dodged them by cart wheeling away. She suppressed the instinct to bend the earth beneath his feet, she had to stick to strictly water bending. Akuma wasn't the Avatar. She brought her firsts up bringing a shield of water with them blocking Shiro's attack of a blast of water.

"Is that all you got!" Korra taunted and went on the offensive launching a volley of frozen ice spears from behind her shield. As soon as Shiro started to dodge she let her shield drop and charged. She jumped and froze a sheet of ice beneath them, the midair Shiro wasn't ready for the change in traction. As he began to slip on the newly formed ice sheet Korra's legs made contact with his side like a freight train. He thudded to the ground and Korra let herself off the leash, she had felt his heart beat from the very beginning of their match. Now it was hers. She reached out and simply squeezed and he contorted obediently, she couldn't tell by his blood bending grip if he was going easy or not. She however was going to make sure there was no question. She brought him up into the air and raised her other hand clenching it and squeezing.

 _Scream…_ Korra held his heart beat tighter and twisted him in the air bringing his arms behind him like she had Masako. She could feel the panic in his heart as his scream echoed off the cliff side.

"Enough Akuma!"

Korra snapped out of her near trance like state and dropped Shiro on the ground with a thud. She relaxed and enjoyed the endorphins flooding her system, but raised her eyebrows at Taro and Hama who stood awestruck. She looked at Shiro who hadn't sprung up to attack but instead sat trying to catch his breath.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Hama said impressed. "No one's ever beat him."

"I second that, you fight like a pro bender, only better." Shiro picked himself up off the ground and dusted himself off before bowing to Korra.

Korra returned the bow out of respect but tried to ignore his heart beat still throbbing in her hands. "…It's a long story."

Dr. Ahanu smiled and nodded knowing the truth. "Taro, Hama, you're up next."

Korra stepped off their makeshift ring, they'd bent the water out of the grass in the backyard of Dr. Ahanu's house to make the lines. Dr. Ahanu had kept troughs of water to supply the matches and massive fire pits to light the ring. It was a bit of nostalgia for Korra remembering her first pro bending matches, only now they were a whole lot more enjoyable. "Sorry if I went a little too hard."

Shiro waved her off still crouched trying to catch his breath. "Its training isn't it?"

Korra agreed with a nod and turned to Dr. Ahanu. "Enjoy the show?"

Dr. Ahanu chuckled. "What a show it was, you have more experience than I thought."

Korra shrugged and watched as Hama gripped Taro's heart in her hands, and suppressed a chill running down her spine. It was so strange to see other blood benders at work. Hama raised her hands and Taro followed only rising a foot off the ground. Korra could feel his heart beat from where she stood and envied Hama. The sparing match was aimed to help in resisting another blood benders grip, at Dr. Ahanu's signal the one in the grip would be released and have to immediately begin to fight. "I never imagined there'd be anything like this."

"It's like a dream come true, isn't it?" Shiro fully recovered now stood next to Dr. Ahanu.

Korra watched Taro fall to the ground and immediately the match was on. "It is." She winced as Taro landed the first blow with a solid block of ice to Hama's stomach which sent her sprawling. Hama was on her feet in a flash and launched a one two punch of ice blades that went spinning through the air. Taro jumped between them and redirected as he did sending them whirling back towards her. She was already on the move, she brought water from both sides of the ring and whipped two massive pillars of water across the field. _Defense Taro, defense_. Instead Taro tried to dodge again, which was a huge mistake. Both whips of water hit him full on sending him spinning. He'd have hit the ground with enough force to knock him out if Hama hadn't stopped him mid spin.

She had him in her grasp tighter than before, this time she threw him up in the air and brought another blast of water crashing against him. This time however she froze the water trapping him in a block of ice which shattered as it fell to the ground. Korra raised an eyebrow, _not bad, but she's playing with him_ , "How'd you find her?".

"Hama came to me after a serious attack on her life, seeking a way to defend herself," Dr. Ahanu said in a serious tone. "She's gotten quite a bit better from when she first attended."

Shiro looked across at Korra. "You're different from those two aren't you? I can tell."

Korra raised an eyebrow and blushed out of embarrassment beneath her mask. "What do you mean?"

"They became blood benders in defense…you did it because of something else." Shiro's eyes glinted off the firelight.

Korra gritted her teeth as she felt his heart beat again. "You could say that."

Dr. Ahanu raised his eyebrow and stroked his beard. "You're definitely one of a kind Akuma." Korra smiled beneath her mask and watched Taro blood bend Hama as another match began.

"I really can't thank you enough Dr. Ahanu, this place, this group, is exactly what I needed." Korra's whole body felt more relax than it had in days. "I'm glad you could join us." Korra shivered as she felt Hama's panicked heart beat as Taro got the upper hand. She was finally able to use blood bending with other people, a feeling she never thought she'd experience. However her hand twitching ever so often highlighted the feeling in the pit of her stomach. _I want more_. She snapped out of it as Hama crumpled on the ground coughing as she did. "I want to go against all of them."

Dr. Ahanu looked at Korra who was staring off into the distance. "Are you sure?"

Shiro raised an eyebrow. "You want to take on all of us? What at the same time?"

Korra merely nodded and took Hama's place on the field as she caught her breath, she could hear Shiro talking to Dr. Ahanu but she had one thing drowning out the sound of everything else. The heart beats of Hama, Shiro, and Taro beat on their own as Korra felt them all underneath the moonlight. It took all her strength to resist the urge to reach out and grab them. After some discussion the trio took their positions on the opposite side of the field.

"Ready?" Dr. Ahanu asked.

Korra nodded and assumed a fighting stance, water only, she tried to think but the feeling of three heart beats made her whole body shiver. "Ready."

"Go!"

I


	14. Blood on the Dance Floor

Chapter 13: Blood on the dance floor 

 

Korra held Naga tightly as the polar bear dog curled up tightly on her bed and her father sat down next to her with a book in hand. “This story is scary.” 

Tonraq smiled and looked at his daughter, it was hard to imagine a small girl as cute as she was, being the most powerful bender in the world. “Don’t worry Korra, the story has a happy ending.” 

“What do you think Naga?” Korra asked still struck by the novelty of her new pet. 

Tonraq chuckled as the polar bear dog simply licked Korra’s cheek in response. “I think that’s a yes.”

Korra re-secured her hold on the dog and nodded in agreement. 

“Okay” Tonraq smiled and opened the book starting to thumb through the pages. “Where were we.” 

“Akuma was captured by the fire nation.” Korra recalled eager now. 

“Oh right.” Tonraq found the correct page and began to read. “Akuma was convinced all was lost, her army was in shambles and they were being sent to the fire nation work camps far away from the tribe. Even her second in command had given up all hope of rescue. Her and all of her warriors were kept under close supervision on the deck of a fire nation slave ship. The man in charge was a cruel captain named Rha.” Tonraq cleared his throat and changed his voice to a grumble for the Fire nation captain. “You and your precious warriors will be put to work, until the day you all die you will be slaves of the Fire Nation.” 

Korra glared from behind Naga’s safety. 

He changed his voice again this time to one similar to his own. “You fire nation folks are all the same, you think the demon of the Southern Water Tribe and her warriors will lay down without a fight!”Tonraq continued in his own voice. “At this Akuma leapt at the captain and threw him into the sea, and with that all her warriors sprung into action fighting with all they had to capture the ship.” 

Korra was wide eyed but still hugging Naga tight. “Did they do it dad?”

“And then some, even though Akuma was injured in the fight for the ship her bunch of warriors captured it and immediately headed back to the Southern Water tribe.” 

“Wow…” Korra said wide eyed.

Tonraq smiled. “When they reached southern waters they found a whole group of ships ready to invade the tribe.” He paused for dramatic effect. “Without hesitation Akuma ordered the ship full speed ahead towards the lead fire nation ship. Before the fire nation ship could react Akuma’s ship collided into it. Akuma and her warriors brought a terrible wave crashing down onto the ship disabling it instantly. They fought like demons against the evil fire nation invaders with the Southern Water Tribe helping they were able to fend of the whole invasion. Without Akuma and her warriors our whole nation would’ve been enslaved, if Akuma hadn’t fought back even though she was seriously injured the whole war could’ve been lost.” 

“What happened after that?” Korra asked her fear gone. 

“Akuma had to recover from her wounds, she lived a long life in the southern water tribe free from the invasions of the Fire nation.” Tonraq closed the book and smiled at his daughter. “Time for bed Korra.” 

“You know there are bed time stories not about invasion and warriors.” Senna who’d been watching the pair from the bedroom door chided as she crossed the room to kiss her daughter on the forehead. She was still wary of the polar bear dog sharing the room with her daughter let alone bed but the two were inseparable. “Sweet dreams honey.” 

Tonraq did the same but added a kiss to Naga’s forehead. “Sleep well.” He extinguished Korra’s lantern and left the room with Senna. She waited till they were half way down the hall way to speak. 

“You shouldn’t be telling her all those war stories.” Senna said whispering but still managing to sound angry.

“They’re good for her, she needs to be a warrior, stories about them will help teach her.” Tonraq reasoned. 

“And what if she doesn’t want to be a warrior?”

Tonraq sighed. “She doesn’t really have a choice.” 

Senna’s shoulders dropped and she leaned into Tonraq. “I suppose she doesn’t, she might find out you keep changing the endings though.”

“I figured ‘died in a battle taking on a fire nation battalion single handedly’ didn’t really suit a bed time story for a little girl.” 

I

Asami pulled up to her estate barely awake behind the wheel of her roadster, she’d stayed long enough to guarantee she’d walk in on a sleeping Korra. She hopped out of her roadster earning a dull throb from her hand. Asami had hopped it had healed completely but a day’s worth of paper work and activity had proved there was still some pain to be had. 

“Ms. Sato?” 

Asami’s body exploded with adrenaline and she instantly took a fighting stance and spun to face the voice. But immediately saw there was no threat. “Shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t even know you guys were still here.” She said staring at the Kyoshi standing in front of her. 

“My apologies, we’re under orders to guard the estate till Sergeant Ren deems otherwise.” 

Asami nodded. “What did you need?” 

The Kyoshi shifted uncomfortably. “We’re short one, Ms. Beifong returned to the estate mid afternoon, Avatar Korra hasn’t returned.” 

_What?_ “Are you serious?” 

“Roger, she left via glider before sunset and has yet to return.” 

Asami sighed. “I’m sure she’s fine, she was heading to her therapist last she told me,” _What have you gotten yourself into Korra._ “She should be back soon.” 

“Roger that.” The Kyoshi walked away into the darkness 

Asami shuffled into the estate completely dejected, whatever Korra could be doing at almost midnight, it couldn’t be good. 

I 

Korra tensed under the grip of Shiro, the pain she felt completely dissolving as she felt the pounding of three heart beats in from across the ring. She felt her chest constrict under a tightened grip, Shrio was trying to hurt her. _He’ll know pain soon enough…_ She waited letting Shiro’s grip hurt her. Enjoying it, knowing she’d soon hear him scream. As her whole body bent backwards and strained She let out a low guttural groan. Unfortunately for Shiro, Taro, and Hama it was a war cry, not a cry for help. 

“Enough Shiro!” 

Korra hit the ground on all fours the relief of being released from Shiro’s grip, the full moon, the pounding of three heart beats for her taking hit her all at once. She leaned back on to her knees and reclined in the moonlight almost shaking with pleasure. She felt Hama’s heart beat pick up and rolled to her side dodging a ice spear, Korra was going to enjoy this. She dodged two more blocks of ice from Shrio and shattered a blade of ice from Taro. She was on her feet and running towards them, bringing two massive arms of water along with her sending them whipping in opposite directions. Hama was too slow and took one to the side, Taro dodged between them and Shiro went on the offensive. Korra bent a frozen sheet of water in front of her blocking a volley of frozen ice shards. From behind the ice sheet she sent out two razor sharp blades of ice spinning towards the trio. Hama ducked beneath one narrowly avoiding losing her head. 

“Uh…guys!” Hama tried to yell over the noise of the battle. _She’s a little too into this…_

“Not now!” Shiro redirected Korra’s next volley of Ice. 

Korra had closed enough distance and switched up her tactics, she bent a large funnel of water into the air above them and brought both hands crashing down. If she had tried this in a pro bending match she’d have been kicked out for unnecessary roughness. The funnel of water came crashing down like a concrete wall on top of their heads. Before the water had even settled she had a grip on all three heart beats, the moon wrapped her in it’s warmth as she clenched her hands around their pounding pulses. _Now this is therapy._ She raised her hands and they obeyed all fighting a losing battle against Korra’s grip. Her body broke out in chills as Hama screamed in pain, she concentrated and moved her hands straight with her thumb on the pulse of her prey. Korra lowered them all to the ground and slowly turned her hands bending them backwards. Shiro and Taro’s screams echoed off the mountains. Korra sighed in pleasure as their hearts pounded even faster. 

“That’s enough Akuma!” 

Korra clenched her teeth and reluctantly let their hearts go, causing them to collapse face first on the ground. Korra waited for the twitching in her hand but it didn’t come, only an afterglow of the intense feeling of bending their very beings to her will. 

“What the fuck…” Taro held his hand to his heart as it pounded in his chest while Hama retched on the ground unable to catch her breath. 

_Shouldn’t I feel bad?_ Korra asked herself still basking in the glow of the moonlight. “Uh…sorry.” She offered half heartedly. 

Shiro stood and bowed crookedly his body still clearly in pain. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry about, you won.” 

Korra nodded and desperately held onto the feeling slowly leaving her body. “Thank you, this is the best…training I’ve got.” Korra was floating on a cloud. 

Dr. Ahanu helped Hama to her feet and checked on Taro. “That was incredible to watch, Hama you need to stay on the offensive work on recovering more, Taro not bad you’re focus should be offense. Shiro consider the team as a whole, if you three were to work more as a team maybe the match would’ve gone differently…time for a break I’d say.”

_I’d have grabbed them sooner._ Korra stood still as Hama and Taro were lead to the house by Dr. Ahanu, basking in the moonlight she felt the last of the euphoria leave her body. She could still feel Shiro’s heart beat. “Why are you standing there?” Korra asked still staring at the moon. 

“I was right…you don’t do it for defense, you do it because you want to.” 

Korra held her hand as it shook ever so slightly. 

 

I

Ren sat at her desk reading a paper that officially didn’t exist, she’d been recommended for a medal for helping with Masako’s execution. ‘ _Sergeant Ren your actions are in keeping with the highest standards of the Kyoshi Warrior Group and bring great credit upon yourself and your squad.’_ She rolled her eyes recognizing the same statement form all the awards the Kyoshi issued. With a sigh she grabbed a lighter from her desk and set the paper on fire, she held it letting more of it burn for a bit before throwing it in the empty metal trash can next to her desk. She leaned back in her chair and thought back to her long lunch with Mako, it was the best day away from the group she’d had in a long time. She quickly shut down the feelings that came coursing through her mind. _I need to smash some recruits heads together…thats what I need._ She jumped out of her own thoughts when there was a knock at the door. “Enter!” to her surprise Lin dressed in a long trench coat walked into her office. “What brings you here?”

Lin sat down in her chair trying to hide her relief from being able to get off her leg. “I have it on good authority you can help with…extra legal jobs.” She knew full well what the Kyoshi were capable of, she’d read dozens of reports that had disappeared in red tape soon after. 

“Not any better than the RCPD.” Ren thought for a moment and pulled out two glasses and a bottle of old Fire Nation whisky. 

Lin held up the glass and clinked it against Ren’s in way of thanks. “I’m retired…officially.” 

“Okay, so what can the Kyoshi Warrior Group do for you Ms. Beifong?” Ren asked slyly, she liked the sound of this it was going to be exciting and without the Avatar involved she wouldn't want to puke. 

“I heard what happened to Masako, I’m probably just as glad as you are. Before she died she gave us a description of the President’s assassin.” Lin sipped on her whisky and looked into the glass. “What bottle is this?”

“It’s a bottle from Fire Lord Ozai’s personal collection.” Ren answered proudly. 

“How’d you get your hands on it?” Lin asked amazed. 

“The Kyoshi took on their first outer island contracts protecting Fire Lord Zuko, he rewarded us quite well.” Ren smiled and downed the glass letting the burning soak her throat. 

“Well, for what it’s worth, you won’t be doing this pro bono. I want you to help me find the Assassin, when we do I’m going to let Korra do her thing.”

Instantly Ren wanted another glass. “And why would you let her do that?”

“Because the Red Lotus killed my fiancé, and I’m going to kill them…” Lin downed her glass. “ _All_ of them.” 

Ren poured herself another glass. “That we can help with.” 

I

Korra collapsed her glider and came to a landing on the balcony of her room, the sun was just coming up and lit the whole estate up. She pulled down her face mask with a little sadness, Akuma was no more, it was time to be the Avatar again. She opened the door to her and Asami’s room and smiled as she noticed Asami still sound asleep. It was unlike her to be asleep after the sun rose, usually she’d be either getting ready for work or long gone. Korra quickly undressed and pulled on the pair of pajamas she’d left waiting for herself. As she carefully joined Asami in bed she realized how tired her night with Akuma left her. She greedily snuggled up to her pillow and closed her eyes letting how satisfied she was with the night sink in. _I finally found release._ Korra longed for the cloud of euphoria she’d floated on after bending the trio of blood benders and sighed into the pillow. 

“Where have you been?” 

The cloud evaporated and her good mood came crashing down around her. She held onto the pillow and tried to remain calm. “I was at Dr. Ahanu’s.”

“Till this late?” Asami asked incredulous. 

“Look I really don’t want to talk about it.” Korra sighed into her pillow. “We talked a lot so I stayed.” 

Asami was stuck between being comforting to her girlfriend and being angry at the girlfriend stayed out till sunrise. “I…okay…fine.” _Maybe it really is going well…_ She reasoned with herself and kissed Korra’s neck. _It must be going fine._

Korra leaned into the kiss and sighed. “Do you have anything to do today?”

Asami held on to Korra. “Not really, only paperwork,”

Korra rolled over and face Asami kissing her gently. “Then sleep, we’ll wake up in a few hours and head out for lunch…”

Asami smiled at the idea pushing back any questions. “That actually sounds like a great idea.” 

I

“Faster Pepper faster! Jinora shouted as the waters of Yué bay rushed by beneath her and her bison. She’d returned from the Spirit world and immediately headed back towards Republic city with Kai in tow. Pepper flew above the last out cropping of the city and was finally within range of Air Temple island. “Take the reigns!” She yelled back to Kai and dove off Pepper’s head gaining as much speed as she could diving down towards the water. She’d practiced to perfection knowing exactly when to deploy her wing suit. Jinora bent her wings and her body leveling her dive into a high speed straight line across the bay. Bending air from her feet she picked up speed almost low enough to taste the ocean spray. She was beyond happy to finally be bringing good news for a change. When the radio transmission had made it to her camp, her crushed father telling her that Kya had been killed. Her whole world had changed, she’d mourned for days until finally taking a trip to the spirit world and she found out there was a silver lining after all. The island was coming up fast, she gave one last burst of air out of her feet and collapsed her wings falling fast towards the water. Before she hit the water she blasted air from her hands and feet sending her rocketing into the sky high above the rocks at the beginning of the island. As she went weightless she deployed her wing suit again coasting the rest of the way towards the courtyard of her home. Jinora landed silently amidst a dozen meditating air benders, immediately spotting her father in the center of the circle. The elation and urgency held back, and she waited for her father to finish meditating. 

“MASTER TENZIN! JINORA HAS SOMETHING TO TELL YOU!”

She winced as Kai flew over on pepper sending a wave of downforce from the bison on the mediating students. 

Tenzin’s eyes opened and narrowed, _I’m going to send him to help rebuild the Northern Air Temple…_ “Jinora? You’re not supposed to be back for another few days?” He stood up and let the smile break over his face as he closed the distance and hugged his daughter. “I’m glad you’re back.” 

Jinora hugged her father back. “I have good news, Aunt Kya is in the spirit world!”

Tenzin’s eyes went wide. “What? Are you sure?”

“I saw her myself! She said she woke up there after the bombing!” Jinora explained excitedly. 

“How is that possible?” Tenzin asked holding back the feeling of relief, he trusted his daughter but he knew he couldn’t take losing his sister twice. 

“I’m not sure, neither is she, she’s staying with Iroh in the spirit world!” 

Tenzin smiled and lifted his daughter into a bigger hug. “This is fantastic!” He let Jinora back down on her feet and looked at the Spirit portal in the heart of the city. “I have to see her,” 

“She’s staying at Iroh’s tea shop, near Hai-Riyo Peak, can’t miss it,” Jinora explained. 

Tenzin whistled and Oogi took to the sky heading for him. “You’ll have to show me at once.” 

“I can’t, I’ve got to find Aunt Lin.” 

I

Asami sat next to Korra on a busy street corner down town, it was their usual brunch spot, an unremarkable little hole in the wall restaurant. They went there strictly because it was unremarkable and on a busy enough street where no one noticed the Avatar and the CEO of future industries having a meal together. Asami watched Korra take a bite from her bacon and egg sandwich, a completely normal thing to do. _She’s fine…she’s always fine._ “I’m revealing my prototype next week.” 

Korra washed down the bite of her sandwich with a swig of orange juice. “That’ll be awesome.” 

Asami fumbled with her glass. “…Remember what we talked about? Telling people about us?” 

Korra’s full mouth dropped open. “Shit, Asami, of course I remember I’m such an idiot. So much shit has been going on I—” She realized she was about to say she’d forgotten. “Asami…I’m sorry.” 

“For what?” Asami asked genuinely alarmed. 

“I’ve been ignoring you, all this business with Raiko, you getting attacked, then losing Kya, and becoming a…and my problem. It’s just been so, so fucking crazy.” Korra felt like she’d been hit by a brick in the chest. _I’m the worst girlfriend ever._

Asami reached out and cautiously grabbed Korra’s hand. “I knew things would get crazy, I knew people could get hurt, I knew I could get hurt,” Asami gently rubbed her thumb on Korra’s hand. “And I knew you’d be worth it.” 

Korra resisted the urge to kiss her right then and there but she couldn’t help the blush creeping onto her cheeks. “I just want you to know, I’ll never hurt you, ever.” 

Asami smiled. “I know.”

“So the prototy—”

“Ms. Sato? Avatar Korra?” 

Korra swiveled her head instantly going on red alert, she was presented with a tall balding man in a cheap suit. She glared. “Do we know you?” 

Asami sized the man up, he wore a cheap suit like an expensive one, just by the way he stood she sensed he was a leech. “Do we?” 

“Chairman Tsusamo,” The Chairman bowed. “I’m running for President,” He reached out and shook Korra and Asami’s hands. “I sent an invite to your households, but I saw you two and figured two important guests such as yourself deserved a personal invite.” 

Korra raised an eyebrow and looked at Asami on the sly. “When’s the election exactly?” 

Tsusamo dug a pamphlet from his suit and proudly handed it to Korra along with two tickets. “Information on the issues facing our great city is in the pamphlet, and those are two tickets to this evening’s ball.” 

“I think we have plans…” Asami interrupted. 

“Oh well you should reschedule then!” Tsusamo excitedly answered. “Tonight’s ball will be a night to remember young lady, the who's who of Republic city will be there! I’ve rented out the whole Pro bending arena, catered food from Kwong’s and a host of other restaurants, live music and a host of guest speakers. And Specifically for you Ms. Sato, the proceeds will go to the Hiroshi Sato Engineering scholarship.” 

Asami was taken a back. “What?” 

“My political organization prides itself on this city’s boundless potential, your father was a bright example on what could be achieved in a town like this.” 

“I’ll be dedicating it tonight at the ball, it would be great if you could attend.” Tsusamo would’ve been dedicating one to Korra as well if his informants hadn’t told him that he only needed get one to get the other. 

“I think we’ll—” 

“Tell you what, you keep the tickets, and if you show up tonight I’ll take that as a yes,” Tsusamo interrupted Korra. “I would love to stay and talk but I’ve got places to be and people to see!”

Korra resisted the urge to throw her glass at him as he turned away and disappeared into the crowd. “I’m not saying I hate that guy already, but I considered smashing his face.” 

“I think we should go…” Asami ventured uncertainly. 

Korra made face. “You do?” 

“Korra, it’s my father, plus a ball could be fun just the two of us music and dancing.” Asami smiled. 

Korra considered it. “Do you want to go?”

Asami shrugged. “Yes, why not?”

“Then we’ll go.” 

Asami smiled. “Let’s get you a dress.” 

I

Guru Arjan bent a whirl of smoke around the room hitting the various wind chimes in the room and settled himself in the lotus position. “You know, I was fairly surprised to receive your call, it’s unusual for a patient to return after so much time.” 

“I’ve been having a rough couple of…I’ve just been having a really shitty year.” Mako sat in the lotus position hunched over on a large floor pillow. 

“Mako, I’ve told you the only way to combat this suffering is to find the source of your suffering.” Arjan breathed deeply with his eyes closed. 

“I know…I know, it’s just…so there’s this girl.” 

Guru Arjan chuckled. “Ah, relationships Mako are tricky music to dance to, on one hand they can bring balance and happiness. On the other they can bring some of the most cruel forms of torture and imbalance.” 

“That’s just it, I don’t really know what to do, on the one hand she’s great and whenever I’m around her lately I just kind of feel better than when I’m not.” Mako scratched his head. 

“And?” Arjan opened his eyes and bent another swirl of incense smoke around the room immediately returning to his meditation. 

“She’s not really looking for a relationship, she’s completely focused on the job and honestly…a little bit of a psycho.” Mako shrugged. “But there’s this drive in her eyes, like she’s hunting for something and she’ll stop at nothing to get it.” His shoulders dropped as he remembered reading the report of Masako’s murder. 

“Ambition is the key to success Mako, however in some people their drive consumes them till there’s not much left.” 

“I don’t really think she has any problem with being consumed.” 

I

Ren slowly moved the curtain from the window just enough so she could see out. Her, Lin, and her squad of Kyoshi were hiding out in a large warehouse loft in the shipping district of Republic City. The invasion had left most of the high-rises demolished however the low lying and numerous warehouses survived. She’d received the job from Lin and immediately reached out to her contacts, most had no idea what the Red Lotus even was, all of them had zero idea who the Assassin was. However one had intel that had potential, an unknown buyer had been reaching out all over the underworld to try and buy long range spears. The Kyoshi had been quick to supply her with a crate of them and she’d been quick to reach out to the unknown buyer and give them a tantalizing offer. Her plan was simple, she’d given a time and location and planned an ambush. 

“Are you sure one squad will be enough?” Lin asked from atop a large crate where she sat looking over the various Kyoshi around the dusty loft. Four in total including Ren, _they’re good but if we get into a fight with a big enough force…_ she adjusted her ill-fitting trench coat over her armor. 

“Yes, plus we have our spear team.” Ren answered confidently, not breaking her view of the intersection of alley ways beneath her way. She’d chosen the intersection of four main supply routes into the ware house district, the wide roads gave her attachment of scouts room to use their spears and enough room to maneuver in a fight. When President Raiko had announced the building of a New Republic City almost the entire shipment and receiving industry had bought land closer to the new location. The deserted ghost town of warehouses was perfect for secret meetings and shady deals, and for a brawl. Ren checked her watch. “They should be here soon.” She stepped away from the window and joined Lin on an opposite crate, she looked at the old lady across from her absent-mindedly rubbing a betrothal necklace around her neck. _‘They killed my fiancé’_ Ren remembered her earth bender scanning the Sato estate and reporting back that the four residents were in two rooms. _That…actually makes sense._ Ren was no stranger to the concept, the Kyoshi had been an entirely female organization since its inception. Ren had considered it many times, the advantages of a relationship without the risk of being unable to work for nine months. However she had kept it hypothetical, in her mind Mako would do for now. “Lin?”

Lin snapped out of her trance and immediately dropped her hand away from Kya’s necklace. “Hmm?”

“We need to take at least a few of them alive.” Ren cautioned. 

Lin rolled her eyes. “I know, the goal is the whole damn organization,” 

Ren nodded. “Just as long as—” 

“They’re here.” 

Ren immediately went into war mode and moved to her Kyoshi that was looking out the window. Ren motioned for her to move back from the window and took a look for herself, a group of four people, two women two men stood in the middle of the intersection. “Okay, they’re in position.”

“How do you know its them?” Lin asked joining Ren at the window. 

“Right place right time, intel suggests they roll in four man teams.” Ren raised an eyebrow at the clothing of the group, nothing from the four nations just clothes you’d find at any Republic City department store. “Everyone ready,” She backed up and waited on line with the rest of her squad. The signal was going to be the noise one of the targets made when the spear team skewered him. Ren smiled as she heard a painful cry. “GO!” She broke into a sprint towards the window knowing her team and Lin would follow her out the window. As her feet hit the wooden floor of the loft she felt the whole floor shake, _shit,_ the floor gave way beneath her. The building began to crumble on top of her as her plan fell apart. 

_Damn it!_ Lin tried to catch herself as the floor fell away and concrete and steel began to fall from the ceiling. She hit the ground in a horse stance and began to bend the rubble falling on top of the group. Bending solid rock was no problem, bending individual pieces of rock falling towards not only her but four others was tricky. She grunted as more of the building’s weight collapsed onto her bending. 

Ren was quick to recover and began scrambling across the rubble towards the street with the warehouse still collapsing on top of her. She could see the edge of what used to be the second floor and ran for it. _Gotta gain the initiative!_ Ren leapt over the edge blades drawn and quickly saw that the spear had done its job. One of the Red Lotus was very dead in the middle of the street, the other three were back to back waiting for the next attack. Waiting for her. Ren hit the ground hard rolling enough to not break a leg but not enough to not feel it. The adrenaline kicked in as her opponents spotted her and she charged. _I can take them._ She dodged a boulder flung at her by the earth bender on the right, the one on the left readied a strike but she was too fast. Ren lashed out with her swords one blade blocking the right side attack’s rock the other slicing into the stomach of the one on the left. She ducked and lashed out with her feet at the legs of the earth bender on the right sending him sprawling onto the ground. Ren was thrown off her feet, her body tensing mid air as the third Red Lotus hit her with a bolt of lightning. Her body hit the rubble with a thud. It was like her brain had been short circuited, she was screaming orders to her body but her body was receiving them scrambled. _GET UP!_ She could see through her blurred vision the earth bender she’d knocked to the ground readying a strike. 

Lin charged bringing all the rubble from the building over head and smashing it down on the street indiscriminately. She dove onto the ground underneath another lightning bolt, she had seen two standing before she dropped the rubble. “Ren!” She screamed bringing up a wall of earth to block the Red Lotus members. 

Ren rolled to her side and forced herself up. “I’m—” Her whole body swayed on her feet. “I’m fine.” She stopped herself for a moment and grabbed her swords. She turned to see two of her squad shambling over the rubble. She wanted to rush up the rubble and find the third member, but a bolt of lightning and a boulder deflected by Lin reminded her the battle wasn’t over yet. Ren steeled herself, she felt like she was controlling herself from outside her body as she grabbed her swords. Through the pain and adrenaline rage burned through her veins, Lin had their attention, they wouldn’t be expecting her. She ran her legs numb beneath her. “Lin! I need a lift!” 

“Okay!” 

Ren ran past Lin and shot off the ground on a column of earth rising above the wall Lin had made and immediately saw the two Red Lotus members. Ren came crashing down in between them, she went right and threw one sword impaling the fire bender. She closed the distance and sliced with the other sword bringing it down on the Fire bender’s neck. 

“No!” 

Ren turned to see the male earth bender charging and two boulders headed straight for her. She dodged right but immediately took the second one to the chest throwing her backwards. _For fuck sake._ She tried to get up but her body was screaming back at her. The Red Lotus earth bender was charging at ready to smash her into the pavement. 

_No._ Lin shot her cable out and wrapped it around the earth bender’s neck and pulled it whipping him back and throwing him into the rubble. Lin quickly bent the earth around him not caring if she broke any of his bones in the process. She was about to rush to Ren’s side before she saw her pulling herself to her feet. “Are you okay?” 

“Fine.” Ren bent over and puked on the ground, without skipping a beat she wiped her chin. “Eri! Kiko! Status!” Ren yelled to the two of her squad who had climbed from the rubble. 

“Fine, bruised but nothing broken,” Eri answered for the both of them. “No sign of Yukio.” 

“Lin we need to get her out.” Ren dropped to a knee grimacing as she felt another wave of nausea come on. _GET UP._ She got to her feet and limped to the rubble not even aware that Lin was already bending away the rubble. Ren began to climb the rubble back up to where her half he team was buried making it half way up before she noticed her vision was fading fast. _Not now…NO GET UP_. Ren swayed on her feet before dropping onto the rubble unconscious. 

I

Korra stood on the bow of her own personal gondola headed towards the Pro bending arena in the heart of Yué bay. She could see the Arena lit up by so many lights that it almost hurt to look at, the whole arena reflected off the water of the bay shining back even brighter. She could still feel the warmth of the waining moon but she pushed it away trying to concentrate on the night ahead of her. She shifted uncomfortably in her dress, while she agreed with Asami, it was stunning. however she couldn't help but feel a little awkward. Asami had guided her towards her signature red, a sparkly striking number with a plunging neckline and no back to speak of. While she enjoyed the blushes she inspired in Asami, she couldn't help but feel exposed as she crossed the moonlit waters of the bay towards the Arena. 

“You’ll catch a cold.” Asami wrapped her arm around her as she stood on the bow.

“Not with you here.” Korra joked but immediately tensed as she felt Asami’s breath close to her neck. 

“Good,” Asami smiled happily out onto the waters as the Arena glowed before her.

“What’s the game plan?” 

Asami shrugged. “Deal with whatshisname, enjoy the food, music, and dancing on his expense.”

Korra relaxed and let her hand drop to Asami’s waist. “I like that plan.”

Asami looked back at the gondola attendant tirelessly water bending them across the bay and shrugged. She kissed Korra on the neck causing her to tense even more. “Relax, it’ll be a fun night.”

Korra shook off the shivers Asami inspired and took a deep breath as the stairs of the Arena came close. As the gondola bumped against the dock she hopped off and helped Asami off the gondola catching her as she hopped off onto heels. “Careful there.”

“Why? I have you.” Asami winked and motioned her head towards the stairs leading up to the main entrance of the Arena. She guided Korra up them quickly heading towards the light at the top of the stairs. 

Korra braced herself for the inevitable flash of cameras that usually accompanied her arrival as she held her dress up above her flat shoes. She crested the top of the stair case with Asami in tow. As she crested the top of the steps her eyes adjusted the brightness of the spotlights of the Arena only to find a red carpet waiting for her. She frowned as she saw several flash bulbs go off. _Fucking typical_. She felt Asami brush up against her and take the lead not daring to hold hands but sticking close all the same. 

Asami hit the red carpet like a natural walking it like it was catwalk giving a brief but courteous wave to any reporter she recognized. _Smile, act the part and leave as quickly as possible_ She recalled her father’s guidance almost every time she made a public appearance. “Come on Korra.”

Korra snapped out of her stunned view of flashbulbs and paparazzi and began to follow Asami down the red carpet. “This must be bigger than I thought.”

Asami shrugged and turned as she kept walking. “Politicians are big, this one certainly has a lot of pull.”

Korra had to walk fast to keep up as she neared the massive entry way to the Pro Bending Arena she knew more in memory now. She couldn't help but feel amazed as she entered with Asami who held the tickets. The brilliant glass dome had long since been repaired from her brawl with Amon. It shone against an array of lights that focused on the floor of the Arena. Korra smiled as she recognized the shape of the ring in the center of the hastily installed floor facilitating the gathering. Instead of a large square the whole out of bounds area where benders used to fall into the water had been covered with flooring. “Wow.”

Asami smiled and grabbed Korra arm in arm and led her on to the main floor down a set of metal stairs that seemed to shift under every step. “I’ll have to look into this guy, at least he knows how to throw a party.” Asami looked around at the crowded dance floor who all seemed to be into a song that was entirely too slow for Asami’s taste. She clocked the food tables and various waiters with trays of champagne. She snagged two glasses off a passing waiter and offered one to Korra. “Not bad.” She clinked her glass together with Korra’s and took a sip, _just a normal night with her after all the craziness._ She smiled and listened as the band readied to play another song. 

Korra sipped on her glass of champagne and glanced around the arena with a mix of nostalgia and paranoia. _Nothing sinister,_ she scanned the crowd for any obvious signs of danger. _‘Relax, it’ll be a fun night.’_ She handed off her champagne to a waiter who was moving like an air bender through the crowd. Her shoulders tensed in her dress as the crowd slowly got bigger and bigger. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Asami grabbed her by the hand. 

“May I have this dance?” 

There was no way to say no, Asami underneath the lights of the arena in the her immaculate dress and make up made Korra’s brain completely mush. She let herself be guided onto the dance floor through the throng of the crowd. She pushed away the self consciousness and just let herself follow Asami as the band began to play again. “You know I’m an awful dancer.” 

“Just follow my lead.” Asami instructed and guided her through a simple dance in tune with the slow music of the band. Asami couldn’t keep the smile off her face, _finally a normal night._ She dropped one hand away and guided Korra into a twirl and bringing her back in close with a hand around her waist. 

“Smooth.” Korra smiled as they held their bodies to each other. _I really wish I could kiss her now._ She bit her lip and cursed the fact that they were in public, close enough to feel each other breathing and moving against one another, but unable to share a kiss. She let Asami guide her into another twirl and giggled. “You’re too good at that.” 

“Practice makes perfect.” Asami twirled Korra again just to prove the point, this time as Korra came back around Asami she leaned in and dipped Korra backwards. She held her there looking down at the smile on her kips too tempted to touch her lips to hers. She brought her slowly back up and back close to her hips. “See, told you tonight would be fun.” She smiled at the blush creeping up Korra’s face. The music began to slow and she brought the dance to an equally slow end. “Another?” 

Korra smiled and nodded still blush red. “Practice makes perfect.” She waited for the music to begin simply content with staring into Asami’s eyes. 

“GOOD EVENING REPUBLIC CITY!” 

Korra’s peace was shattered as she recognized the voice of Chairman Tsusamo from earlier in the day and the crowd erupted into applause. She turned out of Asami’s embrace and watched the still modestly dressed man walk out on stage. Her hands dropped way from Asami’s and she crossed her arms. “Hopefully this will be quick.”

“Thank you all for coming tonight!” Chairman Tsusamo stood in the middle of the stage with a microphone loud enough to echo off the arena. “Tonight we gather in support of our city, all of you are the power players in our great city. Giants of industry, the best financial and engineering talents in the world are gathered here today. Our city needs us my friends, our city is in trouble! Our city is in danger and it needs protection!”

_It is protected._ Korra glared and hand twitched, she held it tightly against her trying to ignore it. 

“Our city can be helped, the presidential election is coming soon, and I as your candidate will bring our city back to what it once was!” Chairman Tsusamo waited for his applause to die down. “However I cannot do it alone, I cannot do it without you all behind me! With your support we can lift our citizens out of the refugee camps, we can rebuild our city, we can build it better than it was before!” 

As Chairman Tsusamo droned on, Korra’s skin began to crawl as she felt a heart beat slowly thudding away next to her. She turned her head and watched as Asami listened to the speech. _Not her._ Slowly she felt another heart beat, and another, and another. Her whole body was buzzing with the feeling of other peoples heart beats against hers. C _alm down, calm down._ Her hand steadily shook as she felt more and more hearts beating around her. “I-I’m gonna go to the bathroom real quick” She didn't wait for acknowledgement from Asami, Korra barged her way through the crowd. The feeling was almost overpowering, a mix of adrenaline, pleasure, and rage blasted through her veins as she made it out of the crowd rushing towards one of the tunnels the crowd used to arrive. _All of them, I can feel them all._ She stumble as her heart began to pound against her ribs, bracing herself on the wall of the tunnel she walked her way down looking for a bathroom. _Any place private._ She continued to move down the tunnel as the heart beats continued to run through her body. _What the fuck is going on._ Korra clutched her chest as she felt like her heart had begun to stab its way out of her chest. Her face contorted as her chest tightened and she stifled a whimper of pain. Finally she reached the end of the tunnel that intersected with a hallway following the long side of the arena. Pushing away the pain in her chest and cold sweat running down her forehead she continued to stumble her way down the hallway. There was a door on her right, she fell against it shoving it open and stumbling in and collapsing on the floor. She tried to slow her breathing as the throbbing of every heart beat in the arena slowly began to fade away. Korra couldn’t keep her hand from shaking against the floor as she curled into the fetal position trying to catch her breath. _It’ll be okay, just calm down._ Her heart still painfully throbbed in her chest. _It’ll be okay_. She tried to get to her feet but the pain in her chest nearly doubled her over. 

“Ma’am? Are you okay?” 

Korra ignored the voice behind her but instantly she felt the pulse clearly against her own, _do it…_ Korra brought herself to her feet unsteadily and looked through her blurred vision at the source of the voice. It was a waiter from the party dressed in a vest and white shirt with a young face and unkept hair. She leveled a shaking hand at him. _No…I can’t…_ She squeezed and the waiter obediently contorted. Her heart slowly stopped screaming in pain, and everything else fell away. She guided the waiter across the room dragging his feet on the floor as she moved slowly to close the door. The pain and throbbing had all gone away now it only left the pleasure she felt from having the waiter’s heart beat in her hand. She brought her other hand up and brought him down to the ground making sure he couldn’t scream. Korra’s body broke out in chills as his panicked heart beat began to race faster and faster. She brought him into the air again with both hands and slowly dragged them apart feeling the blood in his body. She waited till her heart had completely slowed and the pain was long gone before bringing her hands straight. The waiter choked against her grip trying to scream, but Korra wouldn’t allow it. With the speed of a knife strike she brought her hands apart and listened to the loud crack of the waiters spine. She let him fall to the ground with a thud and joined him as she fell to her knees. The pain had been replaced with pleasure and her throbbing heart slowly puttered away in her chest. A slow feeling of dread crept into her, she had to hide the body. Her mind flew through options, while the room was certainly crowded enough to hide a body in, the bay was only a few doors away. Korra brushed herself off and took a deep breath. _He was necessary._ She told her self uncertainly before walking over to the door and peaking outside into the hallway. Still deserted, she realized that Chairman Tsusamo must still be droning on. It was going to have to be quick. She raised the waiters corpse up in the air again, feeling a certain level of disappointment as she felt no pulse against her hand. Korra entered the hallway bending the corpse along with her, she’d spent many days and nights in the arena and a window had to be close. She sighed in relief as she spotted one immediately throwing it open and feeling a cool breeze off the bay. Korra quickly looked out the window and bent the corpse out of it letting him drop into the water with a loud splash. She rested her elbows on the window sill and took a deep breath rubbing her hands on her neck. Her body began to glow with warmth, she looked up and saw the moon coming from behind a cloud. The warmth grew and she sighed in pleasure letting it soak into her skin. 

“There you are!” 

Korra turned and saw Asami walking down the hallway towards her. “Sorry about that…just needed some air.” She lied flawlessly and returned to the view of the moon. 

Asami joined her at the window sill and looked out onto the bay leaning her head against her. “Chairman Tsusamo is kind of a tool, but he did dedicate that scholarship, do you want to dance again?” Asami asked, she could get the faintest feeling that something was off but she pushed it away. 

Korra took a deep breath and inhaled the warmth the moon provided, she turned to Asami and jumped her. Their lips slammed together catching Asami by surprise, Korra wrapped her arms around her pulling her deeper into her kiss. She quickly slid one hand down Asami’s back half tempted to pick her up. Korra broke the kiss to catch her breath breathing heavily against Asami’s neck as she kissed more and more of it. “Maybe we can go back early?”

Asami tensed as Korra nipped her neck with her teeth. “Good idea.” 

Korra guided Asami down the hallway keeping a firm grip on her waist with a no longer twitching hand. She pushed away the memory of the waiter squirming in her grasp, instead she concentrated on the cloud of pleasure still soaking her body. Whatever happened on the dance floor, whatever made her heart hurt so badly she had fixed. _I can handle this. It’ll be fine…it’ll be fine._

I

 

PLEASE REVIEW!! UPLOADING A FEW MORE CHAPTERS THIS WEEKEND


	15. Born Free

Korra sat against the railing on her and Asami’s balcony with her head in her hands, _why did I do that? I killed him, I killed someone._ She let out a soft whimper not daring to cry and wake Asami who was fast asleep in their bed. _You really are a monster, you fucking killed him!_ Tears rolled down her cheeks as the moon came from behind clouds into the night sky bathing her in its light. _Calm down,_ She took a deep breath instantly feeling the warmth of the moon on her skin. _You did what you had to do…right? It stopped your heart from hurting, if you hadn’t blood bent him you could’ve died…_

“Korra? What’s wrong?”

Korra closed her eyes enjoying the warmth of the moon for a few more moments. She didn’t flinch when Asami sat down next to her she turned and hugged her holding her tightly against herself. “I love you.” _and I don’t deserve you._

“I love you too,” Asami nuzzled against Korra’s neck and enjoyed her embrace. She could feel Korra’s heart beating against her own. She frowned as doubt crept back into her mind. “Korra…you’d tell me if something was wrong right?” She looked into Korra’s eyes her whole head highlighted by the moon. 

_Nothing is wrong…nothing._ Her mind conjured up the deafening crack of the waiter’s spine. “I…no…nothing.” 

“Don’t lie to me.” Asami pulled back from Korra’s embrace. 

Korra looked down at her feet. “I just…its hard Asami, blood bending, it…it feels so good.” She answered as she basked in the moonlight. 

“What?” Asami pulled farther back. 

“It’s…hard to explain…”

“Try.” Asami insisted not sure she wanted to know.

“I just felt out of control for so long, it just gives me this feeling of control, I can finally protect everyone, I can finally protect myself.” Korra held back tears, _this is where you call me a monster._ She startled as Asami hugged her tightly. 

“It’ll be okay Korra…Dr. Ahanu will help,” 

_He has already._ Korra held Asami to her. “He is…” _Just not with helping me stop…I don’t know if I can…_ Korra held Asami to her and pushed the question away, for now the moon and her love wrapped her in warmth, what more could she ask for? She held Asami for a moment longer before kissing her neck. 

Asami whimpered as Korra’s lips brushed against her collar bone. She pulled back and looked one last time at Korra. “Just, promise me something?”

Korra looked at Asami in the moonlight. “Anything.”

“I’ll always be here for you…so don’t keep any secrets from me.”

Korra’s heart sank. “Asami…there’s somethings you don’t want to know-things you shouldn’t know.” The moon disappeared behind a bank of clouds leaving Korra alone in the cool night air. 

She raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Korra looked down at her bare feet, _where do I start?_ “Some of the things I’ve done…some of the things that I need to do, if you knew about them…you’d think I was a monster.”

Asami held Korra’s chin in her hand. “You’ll never be a monster to me.”

Korra’s eyes slowly leaked tears. “I don’t think thats true anymore.”

“Korra, what have you done?”

She looked Asami in the eyes through her tears. “I’ve killed people Asami, bent them until their bodies snapped.” She choked back a sob. “And I…” _enjoyed it._ Her mind finished the sentence when her body couldn’t. 

Asami broke from a fear induced paralysis and held her girlfriend tightly as she began to sob in her arms. _Whatever Dr. Ahanu’s doing its not enough._ She guided Korra back to the bed holding her as she sobbed. Korra cried until sleep took over. _I’m going to find you more help Korra, whatever it takes._

I

Lin sat on a metal chair across from the Red Lotus member she’d captured with Ren, after the battle they’d been moved back to KWG headquarters. Ren had been sent to the intensive care unit with the other injured member of her squad. Lin had been brought down into the lower levels of the headquarters with the prisoner. It was news to her that the Kyoshi kept prisoners, she was more shocked that their prison cells made the police’s look like five star hotels. The prisoner simple sat on the floor chained down by his hands and feet. Lin hated the mere sight of him, _he helped kill her and he was trying to get more weapons to kill more people._ She unspooled a length of her cable and bent it across the room nudging his face with it. She rolled her eyes and bent the cable quickly back and forth like a whip across his face. He slowly began to wake up. “It’s about time.” 

The Earth bender immediately struggled against his chains. “Where am I?”

Lin sat silently and wrapped her cable around his arm carefully moving her hand guiding the cable tighter around his arm. 

“What what are you doing!”

Quickly she snapped his arm with a flick of her wrist and let his screams echo off the concrete walls without sympathy. She kept her cable wrapped around the broken limb letting him feel it for a moment more. “I’m going to ask you some questions, either you answer them or I hurt you.” 

“You can’t do this to—”

She wrenched her cable pulling on the Earth bender’s broken limb earning a ear ringing scream. “I already am.” She uncurled her cable and wrapped it around the other arm. “You’re going to tell me everything you know about the Red Lotus.” She stood up and wrapped her second cable around the Earth bender’s neck. She tightened the cables and walked over to him getting close enough to see his tears. “Or I’m going to break every bone in your fucking body.” 

“I…I can’t”

“Clearly you aren't listening.” Lin retracted the cable around his neck and kicked his broken arm. “Tell me how you were recruited!”

The Earth bender caught his breath as the pain dialed down. “I joined from Ba Sing Se after the Earth Queen was assassinated. I learned about them from my grandfather, he pointed me in the right direction to find them.” 

“Why were you trying to buy the spears?” Lin tightened the cable around his unbroken arm. 

“We were following orders! The Red Lotus wanted to use them to take out more politicians!” The Earth bender answered obediently. 

“After you bought them what were you going to do?” She asked tightening the cable making him scream without breaking the arm. 

“We have a safe house,” The Earth bender grimaced as he moved his arm in his chains. “416 Tong avenue, apartment C…thats where we were told to bring the spears.” 

“How did they contact you?” Lin was almost disappointed at how easy he had cracked. 

“We get mail from them, coded messages,” The Earth bender dropped his shoulders. “That’s all I know, I swear.” 

Lin retracted her cables. “You helped kill the woman I loved.” Lin grabbed him by his hair and pulled his head back. “Do you know that?” She unspooled her cable and pushed it against his temple. “Not a bone in my body has a problem with killing you right here, right now.” Lin watched his eyes widen. “Unfortunately she wouldn’t want me to…fortunately someone else will, she’s in the ICU because of you bastards. When she wakes up, she’s going to make you wish you were dead. And then she’s going to grant your wish.” 

I

Mako sat quietly on a chair next to Ren’s hospital bed, the medical facilities of the Kyoshi were extensive the intensive care was far away from most everything else Mako had visited. While he sat in the white walled and tiled room he had no idea that his former boss was torturing a suspect floors below him. All Mako knew was that Lin had called earlier and told him Ren had been injured and was in the Kyoshi hospital. He had assumed the worst, he knew how good Ren was at fighting and he knew it would've taken a lot just to wound her. An attendant had given him the run down, any less of a woman would’ve been dead. Her armor had saved her in the end, the lightning had burned her in various spots but didn’t manage to kill her, the boulder she’d taken to the chest broke several ribs and caused some internal bruising. The overexertion of continuing to fight and trying to search for her team mate is what caused her to finally pass out. “You’re insane you know that? If you did this as a police officer I don’t even know what we’d do.” He sighed. “I have no idea what to think about you, I like you, I know that, but I know you’re not interested. I know that you’d have done what you did and kept going until there was nothing left of you if it was up to you.” Mako held his head in his hands. “So I guess I just came here to make sure there was some of you left, I’m glad there is.” 

“Me too.” Ren groaned in her bed immediately feeling the pain of consciousness. 

Mako turned red. “How much did you hear?”

“I’m doing fine thanks, and you talk too much.” Ren took a deep breath and tired to sit up, immediately her whole body screamed at her. “Fuck,”

“You broke most of your ribs and have a lot of internal bruising just lay back.” Mako cautioned. 

“I’m fine,” Ren snapped back but did as he said. _I’m gonna miss a lot of work._ “Did the docs say how long I’d be out of the fight?” 

“A few weeks before you can work again, another month before you’re ‘battle’ ready.” Mako repeated what the Kyoshi medic had told him.

Ren sighed in disappointment, but immediately realized something. “Did Yukio make it?” 

Mako looked down at his shoes. “No…when the Red Lotus caved in the building she took a chunk of concrete to the head.” 

Ren looked at the IV stuck in her arm as she clenched her jaw trying to keep tears from her eyes. She briefly remembered the building falling in and out from under her, and a panic of realizing one of her own was still unaccounted for. “I trained Yukio from when she was a recruit, she was a solid warrior through and through.” Ren let her head hit the pillow. “I remember the first op I ever took her on, it was a simple raid but she was new and had the jitters…I said to her, ‘I’ll bring you back, no matter what I’m bringing you back.” 

“Ren…”

“She’s the fourth I’ve lost, I’ve lost a whole fucking squad Mako, and every one of them I told them I’d bring them home…the last thing they knew me as was a liar.” Ren was practiced at holding back tears, but this time she couldn’t, the silently fell down her cheeks as she continued to hate herself. “Why can’t I just bring everyone home?”

“You can’t beat yourself up over this, you know just as well as I do that you’ll never be able to do that. And everyone you work with knows that they might not make it home.” Mako offered.

“That’s not the point Mako, I was responsible for her, and because of me she died…what am I going to tell her family?” Ren wiped the tears from her face otherwise ignoring the fact she was crying. 

“It’s not your fault Ren, the Red Lotus attacked you…” Mako said it and wished he could take it back. Any person as determined and driven as Ren should never be given vengeance as a mission. 

Ren’s tears slowed. “I’ll have to contact Her family…her children…damn it.” 

“I think you should let the Kyoshi do that, you need to recover.”

Ren clenched her teeth. “If it was one of your cops, would you let someone else take care of it?” 

Mako shook his head. “No…never.” 

Ren thought for a moment. “Tomorrow, shift change is at five, meet me around the back of the building.” 

“You need to stay in the hosp—” Mako sighed, there as no point in trying to convince her to do otherwise. “Five?”

Ren nodded and looked at the detective sitting across from her, she’d woken up in a hospital bed numerous times before and this was the first time someone was waiting for her. As Mako readied himself to leave she couldn’t keep back the stab of emotions welling up in her chest. She clenched her teeth trying to ignore it as Mako opened the door. “Mako…”

Mako raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“Thanks…for being here for me.”

I

Korra laid back on Dr. Ahanu’s sofa staring at the book case near her feet, she’d left in the morning and found Dr. Ahanu in the middle of breakfast. Thankfully the good doctor was happy to see her and welcomed her into his office. He sat across from her in pajamas and a robe carefully holding a tea cup with both hands as Korra told him everything. “I know what I should feel, and I know that I don’t feel it…anymore.” 

“Korra, you did what you needed to if he had lived it would’ve been catastrophic. I’m more alarmed about the pain you felt in your heart…I’ve only read about such things.” Dr. Ahanu sipped from his cup of tea. 

“And what did you read?”

Dr. Ahanu looked into his tea cup. “The first blood bender, an old lady named Hama,” He began like the story wasn't the bed time story for every water tribe kid. “After Avatar Aang and Katara captured her she was sent to prison. While she did indeed stay in prisoned for years, she tried to escape during a full moon. Hama made it out of her cell and into the prison court yard where she found over fifty guards waiting for her.” 

“I don’t remember this part in the stories my father told me.” 

“That’s because it doesn’t have a happy ending, she tried to blood bend them all…and it worked. She held the guards under her grip underneath the moon light and almost made her escape. But…the strain of blood bending that many, even for her was too much, she died of a heart attack in the prison courtyard.” Dr. Ahanu finished and gauged Korra’s reaction. 

“Shit…” She rubbed over her heart fearing the worst. “So it could kill me?”

“Anything can kill you, it’s up to be you to be strong enough to defeat it.” Dr. Ahanu finished his cup of coffee. “I’ll get in touch with our Hama, see if she would like to train with you tonight if that sounds okay?”

Korra steadied her shaking hand. “Sounds great…Dr. Ahanu, you’ve blood bent before, did you ever…”

Dr. Ahanu raised an eyebrow and motioned for her to continue. 

“I don’t want to stop, the feeling of all those heart beats during the ball was painful…but I’ve never felt so good…” Korra shivered remembering the feeling. 

“When you tried to stop yourself, you couldn’t could you?” 

Korra held her hand. “I’m not sure I wanted to…” 

“You’re playing with fire Korra, yes, when I took my revenge on those who killed my wife I wanted to keep going. The trick is to master the skill of blood bending, not have it master you, it will be difficult, but I have complete faith in you.” Dr. Ahanu set down his cup of tea.

_Master it, don’t let it master you._ “Okay…I can do that.” 

“Yes, you can…I think you and Hama have a lot to learn from each other. From what I can tell you about her, you have a lot in common.”

“Meaning?”

“You blood bend because it gives you the power to protect the ones you love, she blood bends because she’s already lost the ones she loved.” Dr. Ahanu answered. “I want you to teach her to blood bend without a full moon, it would give her more time to practice and make the skill more useful to her.” 

“I’m not even sure how I do that…”

“By helping and teaching we learn and help ourselves Korra.” Dr. Ahanu smiled. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment soon, and I assume you want to keep your visits secret.” 

Korra nodded. “Thank you…I can’t really talk to anyone else about this, without them thinking I’m insane anyways.” 

“It’s always a pleasure Korra.” Dr. Ahanu stood up and opened the door for the Avatar as she grabbed her glider and waved good bye. 

Korra walked out into the hallway, her boots softly thumping on the wood floor as she made for the door. _I think I can help her learn, at the very least I’ll get some training in…_ Her hand shook before she could steady it. She longed for the moonlight that brought her warmth and cleared her head, without it she couldn’t help but feel like she might be becoming a monster. _‘You’ll never be a monster to me’_ She smiled at her recollection of Asami. She left the cottage and took off on her glider heading for Asami’s office, a surprise lunch was in order. 

I

The tall bald man in dark grey roads sat in the middle of Xai Bau’s Grove waiting for the last of his disciples to show up to the meeting. Though most of the Red Lotus higher ups were in attendance already they sat completely silently waiting for their leader to speak. It was rare for him to call a meeting, however the majority had asked for one to address the situation. He didn’t so much as flinch as the last two members appeared in the grove and took their places in the circle. “Now that you’re all here…some of you wanted to meet, do you doubt that I have a plan?”

“It’s not that…the Avatar and particularly Lin Beifong have caused the death of at least ten of our brothers and sisters. Just recently I went to the safe house in the mountains and found it buried under half the damn mountain.” The figure at the top of the circle spoke. 

“We’re trying to bring balance to the world, trying to do what the Holy ones spent decades in prison for attempting. Did you think that all of us would live to see the day that we succeed?” The leader paused. “Did you think that we could achieve this goal without sacrifice?”

“No…”

“While I know the loss of life is regrettable, let me assure you all that everything is going according to plan. The Avatar has no idea what’s coming for her.” The leader looked around the circle. “She and her friends and allies will try and stop us, and when that time comes we will show them the true power of the Red Lotus.” He sighed. “However…a show of force is in order, Lok? Do you wish to make up for the Raiko mistake?”

“Absolutely.” 

“Good, Republic city is holding a political debate, your target will be one of our choosing.” The leader instructed. “You will not fail.” 

“No. I won’t.” Lok clenched her teeth, she’d rather die than fail again, and if she did she’d soon after be dead. 

“Trust me my disciples, we are on the path of the Holy ones, and the plan I have for the Red Lotus has never been closer to fruition. If you don’t believe that our lives are worth the end goal then you do not deserve to see the world balanced once again. if you do not believe what the Holy ones revealed to us is the natural order of the world then we cannot accomplish that goal. If you do not believe in chaos you do not have what it takes to bring balance to the world!” He paused glaring at the man at the top of the circle. “I trust that all of you will faithfully execute the orders delegated to you all, I’ll be in touch.” The leader disappeared back into the mortal realm. 

Lok waited for the rest of them to disappear before falling back into the lush grass, there was a kill just waiting for her. She didn’t know who, and the kill didn’t know her, but in a few days because of her actions the target would be dead. She smiled looking up at the orange sky of the grove wishing she could stay. Slowly she dissolved leaving the grove empty as the Red Lotus had found it, only the spirits as witness to their evil ideas. 

I

Asami followed Tenzin along the foot path that followed the coast of Air Temple Island. Asami was no stranger to the island, but every time she visited she realized again why Avatar Aang had picked the island for his home. She’d come to tell Tenzin about Korra’s problem, something she felt was necessary but couldn’t help feel that Korra would feel betrayed. They rounded a corner on the path and came to a stone bench facing the bay. She took a seat next to Tenzin and looked out at the view, if the city hadn’t been destroyed it would’ve been beautiful. Now the city sat as a rotting skeleton across the bay bearing the marks of invasion, she watched the crews of her workers attack the city like flies from this distance. “I don’t really know where to start.”

“Over the phone you said she’s gotten worse.” Tenzin sat up straight already pulling on his beard from the stress of the topic. 

“I’m not sure we knew how bad she was from the start…She told me she’s killed people…Red Lotus I’m assuming, I hope.” Asami held her head in her hands as the breeze picked up. “I just don’t know who to ask, I brought her to a therapist but she’s not getting better…” Asami held back tears. “She told me, she told me she enjoyed it Tenzin…enjoyed it.”

“She said that?” Tenzin asked incredulous. 

“I don’t know what to do Tenzin, I love her, but she’s turning into a…” She stopped herself from saying it. 

_…thaaaaaat’s why she’s been staying at the estate._ Tenzin’s brain clicked but immediately he realized he needed to stay professional. Asami had come to him out of desperation this was not the time to be surprised. “I’ll talk to her, if she was any less of an Avatar she’d have ripped the world apart looking for the Red Lotus a long time ago. We have to believe she still knows what she’s doing is wrong.” 

“She has to, this isn’t like her Tenzin.” Asami said covering her eyes from the conversation making it easier to have. 

“No, it isn’t.” Tenzin sighed, _what is happening to you Korra._

“Tenzin, please don’t tell her I told you to talk to her, she doesn't want to disappoint you.” She sighed remembering the dream of Korra attacking her. “She’s starting to scare me Tenzin, I know she’d never hurt me, but a month ago I knew she’d never kill anyone.” 

“It’ll be alright Asami, Korra will find her way back to the right path…” Tenzin for the first time was unsure. Korra had always been a fearsome and stubborn young woman. Even for Korra, blood bending was not something to be messing around with. “I have an appointment with the city council at noon, I’ll be around to the estate to talk with her after that.” 

Asami sat back in the bench and looked out onto the skeletal hulk of the city that used to be, _if they can fix the city we can fix her._

I

Lin floored her speedster up the last stretch of the road up to the estate and pulled it out of gear coasting towards the gravel drive way. As she rounded the bend she instantly sighed, _great a damn bison, Tenzin’s here._ She’d spent the last day and a half with the Kyoshi, immediately after the battle they’d treated her injuries and helped Ren, then they dealt with the prisoner. The last thing she needed was Mr. Spiritual showing up and stopping her from doing anything but having a drink and going to bed. She shut off her speedster and climbed out, her old body bearing the bruises and soreness of the battle. Before she made it half way to the door it exploded outwards on a gust of wind.

“Aunt Lin! Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” Jinora hit the gravel at a sprint and crashed into the police chief embracing her in a hug. 

Lin froze up completely taken by surprise and uncomfortable in Jinora’s hug. “What, what what?”

“I have the best news for you! Kya’s alive!”

Lin clenched her teeth. “Right…” She detached herself from Jinora and strolled into the manor not bothering to close the door behind her. She’d seen in a hundred times in rookie officers, they would lose a partner or a good cop friend they’d gone through training with. They’d be devastated for a solid week, then the next week they’d come in to the office as right as rain smiling like bastards. _‘Hey Ma, what are you smiling for?’_ She’d ask already knowing the answer. _‘Hey Chief, I just saw Lee at the market, he’s fine ready to come off suspension though.’_ She’d pull the officer into her office and slowly break the news again, his friend was long since dead, whatever they saw was just a broken mind playing cruel tricks. Lin clenched her fists feeling a familiar stab of pain at her already shattered heart. She walked quickly not caring if Jinora followed to the study throwing open the doors and heading straight for the bar. 

“No. Really, Lin she’s alive!”

Lin sighed and pulled out a whisky bottle that Asami’s staff had resupplied and poured herself a glass. “Kid, I know its hard to lose your aunt…believe me its hard for me to.” She fell into a leather chair with the bottle in one hand and the glass in her other. “But she’s gone…forever.” Lin took a swig from the glass. 

“She’s in the spirit world!” Jinora explained almost irked Lin didn’t believe her. “She woke up there after the explosion!” 

Lin clenched her hand around her glass as she poured another. “Look kid, I understand you’re grieving, but so am I so please. Fucking leave.” 

“Aunt Lin, please! Kya needs to see you, she told me herself I met her in Wan Shi Tong’s library. She’s staying with Iroh!” Jinora pleaded. 

Lin sighed and swigged from her glass, _wait…what the fuck did she just call me?_ The gulp of whisky caught in her throat burning as she coughed it up through her nose. She wiped her mouth and caught her breath. “What did you just call me kid?”

“Aunt?” Jinora raised an eyebrow _finally._

“I’m not your aunt!” 

“You proposed to Aunt Kya, that’s her betrothal necklace, I know this because she told me!” Jinora frantically explained. 

The glass dropped from Lin’s hand onto the carpet with a loud thunk. “Where is she?” Lin sprang from her chair and rushed out the door. 

“The spirit world!” Jinora ran after her new aunt. 

“Can you show me?” Lin broke into a run heading towards the door. 

“Of course!” 

“I’m driving.” Lin burst out the doors and bent the earth underneath her shooting into the air and landing on Jinora’s bison’s head. She hardly waited for Jinora to join her before grabbing the reigns of the bison. She’d always hated flying on them when she was a kid, but this time it was necessary. “Yip Yip!”

I

Korra strolled along side Asami, she’d waited for her at her office and the pair had set off into the busy streets. As Korra walked with her down the sidewalk weaving in and around the various citizens something nagged at her. _She’s nervous…_ Korra reached out to hold her hand which Asami accepted after some hesitation. “How was work?”

“It’s work, slowly but surely getting through the day.” Asami answered as they moved through the crowd. 

“I’m glad we could grab some lunch,” Korra held Asami’s hand tightly. 

“How’d your appointment go?” Asami asked hoping for good news. 

“Fine,” Korra answered waiting for a throbbing pain in her chest that never came. 

“What’d you guys talk about?” Asami pried. 

“Just…what we talked about last night.” Korra scratched her head self-consciously, they’d reached their destination and grabbed a table for the two of them outside at their usual lunch spot. The small café had a patio that cut into the sidewalk with iron tables and chairs and a dutiful waitstaff. “Two mango and moon fruit smoothies please,” Korra ordered for the both of them as she relaxed in her chair. “Are you okay?”

Asami looked at her hands and asked herself the same question. “Korra…I just want you to be okay.” 

Korra raised an eyebrow. “I’m always okay Asami…”

“Korra, last night what you said…it scared me.” Asami fiddled with her menu nervously. 

Korra sighed. “Asami, I’m sorry, I never meant to scare you.”

“I’m scared for you—” Asami stopped as the waiter served up their drinks and waited for him to get out of earshot. “I love you,” She whispered and continued at regular volume. “But this is getting out of control, don’t you see that?” 

“What are you talking about? I’ve got everything under control.” Korra brushed her off and sipped at her smoothie, _master it, don’t let it master you_ she repeated to herself. “It’s just taking some time to get used to it.” 

“You need to stop Korra, not get used to it.” Asami couldn't help but raise her tone of voice. 

Korra put down her drink. “I’m trying Asami…” 

“I…I don’t know if you are Korra.” 

“What are you saying?” 

Asami thumbed the menu again sighed and put it down on the table in between them. “Korra…you told me you killed people, you’ve changed…a lot. And it’s because of blood bending, you know it is!” 

Korra’s hand shook and immediately she could feel Asami’s heart beat, _don’t you fucking dare._ “Asami, what do you want me to do, I can finally protect you and you’re asking me to give that up?” Korra looked across the street at a man reading a paper. “You see him? I can feel his heart beat from over here,” She shivered as another heart beat joined Asami’s. “If he were to even raise a finger I could have him in seconds.” Korra’s hand twitched till she held it still. “Do you remember Unalaq? I could’ve stopped him from tearing Raava out of me in a heart beat. Zaheer I could’ve stopped him from poisoning me and leaving me a fucking cripple, I could’ve stopped Kuvira from destroying the city! I COULD’VE STOPPED THEM ALL!” Korra stopped as she realized she had just yelled and a number of people had begun to pay attention to them. She looked across the table and Asami had begun to cry. “Asami…”

“It’s fine.” Asami wiped the tears off her cheek, _Tenzin needs to talk to you,_ she tossed some Yuans onto the table and stood up. “I’m going now, I’ll talk to you later. 

Before Korra could even react Asami disappeared into the crowd, _great Korra, fucking great,_ She looked at Asami’s smoothie slowly melting across from her. She sighed and immediately felt tears burning her eyes, _I was right…I don’t deserve her._ Korra slammed her fist down on the table and tried to keep the tears back. _You really are a monster._ She sprang from her chair and threw the table out of her way sending it crashing against the concrete. She stood for a moment before rushing into the crowd leaving an overturned table and a bewildered waiter. As she disappeared into the crowd she felt a single heart beat growing fainter and fainter, _Asami…I wish I wanted to stop._

I

Korra sat on the porch of Dr. Ahanu’s cottage feeling totally dejected from her argument with Asami. They’d been friends through Amon, Unalaq, Zaheer and Kuivra, and Korra was the one who made them fight. _Blood bending Asami is just…_ She began like there was a possible way to describe why she couldn’t help herself. The sun was beginning to set bathing Dr. Ahanu’s cottage in a warm orange glow, but for Korra it paled in comparison to the warmth the moon was going to bring her. Her hand twitched just anticipating the moon’s warm light. She raised an eyebrow as a beat up old Satomobile came puttering up the hill towards the cottage. Korra sighed and pulled up her face mask. Akuma was once more. She watched a woman who’s face mask she recognized as Hama’s. Korra had yet to decide how she’d teach Hama a skill she didn’t even know how she had, but as the anger radiated through her she realized it was going to be a rough night for Hama. She didn’t move as Hama approached but could already clearly feel the heart beating inside her. 

“Sifu Akuma.” Hama said and bowed. 

Korra raised an eyebrow and shrugged before bowing back, she was not used to the title of Sifu. She sighed and stood facing her student. “Look I don’t even know where to start, but whatever I come up with, you need to roll with the punches, there will be a lot of them.” 

“No problem,” Hama answered and nodded. “I need to master this sooner or later.”

_Good,_ Korra brought her hand’s up and grabbed Hama by her heart before she even had time to scream. She wished she could hold on, but the purpose was shock and awe, Korra tossed Hama like a rag doll hard against the ground. “GET UP AND FIGHT!” 

_Fuck._ Hama coughed as she regained her breath, as she hopped to her feet she moved her arms through the air sucking the water out of the grass beneath her bringing it up as a shield. “Bring it on.” She said unconvincingly. 

Korra shivered as Hama’s heart beat raced in her hands, she brought her arms around ripping the water from the air around her and immediately launched a barrage of ice spikes aimed to kill. She waited for them to crash into Hama’s shield before sending a whip of ice low against the ground towards her feet. 

Hama leapt into the air and launched a whip of her own towards Korra’s head. 

Korra punched straight into the whip sending water everywhere, She froze the water mid air and sending all the water droplets flying towards Hama. It wouldn’t wound her too seriously but it would distract her. Korra grimaced as Hama’s heart beat raced against her own wishing she could just snatch it out of the air. Instead she bent more water and turned it into mist cloaking the two battling water benders. She could feel Hama’s heart beat, the question was could Hama feel hers. Korra crouched keeping the mist thick and swirling around them moving her arms as she did. She crept closer and closer to Hama’s pounding heart, her hand twitching at the ready. _Just a little closer,_ Korra looped around so she’d have Hama’s back to her and brought her arms apart making the mist disappear. She pounced, gritting her teeth and holding back the urge to blood bend. Instead she charged on the soft grass and tackled Hama to the ground with her hands on her shoulders. They both hit the ground hard earning a scream, more of shock than pain, from Hama. Korra kept waiting for a familiar and uncontrolled tensing of her body, but it never came. She sighed underneath her face mask and stood up leaving Hama on the ground to catch her breath and slow her pounding heart. _Well that didn’t work._ Korra caught her breath and watched the sun beginning to fall behind the mountains ignoring Hama’s labored breathing. As the sun dropped behind the last of the mountain peaks, moonlight bathed the cottage and Korra wrapping her in its warmth. She shook of the pleasure of Hama’s heart beat throbbing away and chewed her lip. _Think Korra, what was the first thing that got you to blood bend?_ “Hama?”

She stood still breathing heavily. “Yeah?” 

“When did you first blood bend?”

Hama sighed and took a seat on the grass watching the moonrise. “It’s a long story Sifu Akuma.” 

Korra joined her and laid back on the grass letting herself bathe in the moonlight. “We’ve got time.” 

“It…was a really bad day.”

Korra smirked. “You don’t say.”

“I grew up in Republic City, when I was a kid I had designs of being in the United Forces, or working for the Sato corporation.” Hama reminisced as the moonlight soaked the pair of them. “But I was dad was a triple threat member and mom was a water tribe gal fresh off the boat.” Hama sighed. “Mom raised me, she was a good mother everything she had she gave to me and my sister. She slaved away at a water tribe restaurant to send us to a nice school. One day though it all went to shit. Either dad had gone against the Triple threat’s wishes or the Agni Kais had it out for him. One day he never came back…and mom was left to fend for us.”

“Damn.” Korra offered up not knowing what else to say.

“She, eventually met a man named Yu who at first seemed like a decent guy, but eventually he started abusing my mother, my sister and me.” Hama laid back in the grass crossing her arms. “He killed my mother, hit her head one too many times against the fridge and she never woke up…when my sister tried to stop him he threw her against the wall. Mom had been teaching me to water bend ever since I had been little, she used to tell me stories of Old Lady Hama. ‘She’ll get you if you don’t behave.’ She’d say. Before he could kill my sister I blood bent him out of the window of our third story apartment.” 

“Okay…I think I have an idea.” Korra looked at the waining moon above them. “Just pretend I’m him,”

“I don’t get what you—”

“You want your mother back don’t you?”

“Yes.” 

Korra nodded. “All the rage you felt toward Yu, all the times you wished you could save your mother, all the pain you’ve felt. Focus it towards me.” 

Hama sighed and nodded. “I’ll give it a try.”

“No, you won’t, what you need to do is do exactly what you always wanted to do to Yu.” Korra instructed. 

“So when do you want to sta—”

Korra kicked Hama in the chest and gripped her pulse quickly throwing her backwards savoring her few precious moments of blood bending. She sent her crashing against the ground like before, but unlike before Hama landed on her feet and sent two lightning fast water blasts towards Korra. She blocked the first but the second one, to her surprise, impacted hard hitting her in the stomach. She gritted her teeth and fought through the pain, immediately blasting back with two razor sharp blades of ice. “FIGHT DAMN IT!” Korra watched as Hama dodged between the two ice blades and ripped a barrage of ice spikes from the air towards her. “If you could’ve fought better you could’ve saved your mother!” Korra antagonized her. 

“SHUT UP!” Hama yelled back enraged and launched another barrage of ice. 

Korra easily dodged the ice and charged. “No wonder your mother died!” She moved in slow motion watching Hama’s eyes light up with rage. She had almost closed the distance between them before she felt herself tense and strain under Hama’s grip. 

Hama was nearly shaking with rage as she held Korra by her heat beat. “Shut. The fuck up.” 

Korra shuddered under Hama’s grip but couldn’t help but enjoy the feeling. “Congratulations Hama.”

I

Lin briefly wondered if a Sky Bison had ever been to the spirit world, and wondered what Jinora was screaming at her for, she didn’t care. She guided pepper straight towards the spirit portal flying straight into a blinding white light. Lin held tightly to the reigns as the Republic city skyline disappeared and was replaced by a bizarre landscape of purple sky and white capped mountains. Lin wasn’t much for enjoying skylines even in the best of times. “WHERE IS SHE?” 

Jinora held tightly to Pepper’s saddle. “The peak, dead ahead! Tea shop in the Valley!” 

Lin nodded and whipped Pepper’s reigns against her urging the bison to move faster, they flew high over a forrest and buzzed the snow capped mountain ranges heading towards Hai Riyo peak. _Come on…come on!_ She spotted a small house in the middle of a vast valley. “KYA!” She guided the Bison into an immediate dive gritting her teeth as the weightless feeling hit her stomach. Pepper lost her nerve before Lin and began back pedaling midair barely pulling out of the dive soon enough to hit the ground running. 

I

Kya sat inside Iroh’s tea shop, which was in a perpetual state of cleanliness that was almost unnerving. She’d spent the day waiting for Jinora to return but eventually she’d given up hopeof seeing Lin soon. Instead she retreated inside the tea shop and sat on an almost too comfortable couch with her knees pulled to her chest. Iroh had long since gone off on an adventure all his own, leaving Kya alone with her thoughts and longing for Lin. _So much for that silver lining you old bitch._ She chided herself for believing that she’d cheated more than death. “Why did I even—”

“KYA!”

Her hold body tensed, she bolted off the couch and rushed out of the tea shop jumping straight off the small set of stairs and landing on the grass. She spotted a diving Bison who soon became a crashing Bison. She’d seen Bumi crash a bison dozens of times, but this time it looked particularly painful. _Pepper?_ The bison rolled head over tail slamming into the grass and sliding to a stop close enough to make Kya wonder if she should move. Immediately a figure crawled and stood from beneath the bison. “…Took you long enough.” Kya laughed as tears burst from her eyes and Lin rushed towards her. Kya caught the armor clad woman embracing her in the kind of hug you only give someone who you thought you lost. 

I


	16. Political Activism Part 1

Ren cried silently staring at her reflection in the door mirror of Mako’s police cruiser, Yukio’s kids twin girls who were the spitting image of their mother had been unconsolable. Her husband had been courteous and polite, but Ren couldn’t help but see the look of disdain in his eyes. Ren and the Kyoshi had kept Yukio away from her family for years and now it was permanent. She sighed realizing the family probably blamed her by association alone. Mako had been as helpful as ever and stood silently by watching her as she tried to apologize for not bringing their mother back alive. _Get a hold of yourself Kyoshi,_ the angry but wise voice of an old instructor echoed in her head. Ren wiped the tears from her face and sat up painful in the passenger seat. Her whole body throbbing with pain, any small movement causing an earthquake of pain in her ribs and the burns from the lightning bolt rubbing constantly against her clothes. “Just bring me around back where you picked me up,” 

“Worried about getting caught?” Mako asked paying attention to traffic on the street leading to the KWG headquarters. 

“Not really, I out rank most of the medics and my superiors would understand.” She answered still dejected despite the face she put on. Ren looked across the bench seat at Mako who observed the traffic around him like he would security threats. She felt a rise in her heart that was becoming familiar, and immediately pushed it down. _You’re a warrior, your concentration is work, not him._ Kyoshi Head quarters loomed at her as Mako turned the corner bringing the car around the back of the large building. “Thanks for the ride.” Ren opened the door and took a deep breath before gritting her teeth and moving out of the car. The short movement brought tears to her eyes as her cracked ribs screamed at her. Her knuckles went white as she held the door trying not to show the pain. 

“Anything else you need? Something from home?” Mako called out of the car. 

Ren gritted her teeth, _some pain killers would be nice._ “Not off the top of my head, some whisky would be nice.” She said almost joking. 

“I’ll be by later when I’m done at the station…hang in there.” 

Ren nodded. “Thanks,” Ren closed the door and moved slowly to the door back into the Kyoshi headquarters. Her burns rubbed painfully against her dress uniform the whole way up the stairs leaving her almost in tears by the time she reached the medical wing. She pushed the door open and tried to blend into the busy medical wing. There were a few Kyoshi on their way to surgery escorted by more Kyoshi in operating gowns all moving quickly down the white tiled hall way. Ren made for the door to her room but spotted Eri heading for her. “Hey.” 

“Have you lost your mind?” Eri asked incredulous but opened the door to Ren’s room for her all the same. 

“I had to see Yukio’s family,” Ren explained as she gratefully hobbled into her room and carefully sat down on her bed. She looked at her friend and team mate, Eri was the youngest of the squad, what she lacked in experience she made up for in dedication and skill. Even without the war paint she exuded the presence of a warrior, though Ren was begrudgingly jealous of her delicate features. She’d considered dying her own hair the same red but had never had the time. “What did you need?” 

“I wanted to know what you wanted done with our prisoner?” 

Ren raised an eyebrow. “Prisoner?” 

Eri nodded realizing Ren’s memory was probably fuzzy. “The last Red Lotus member from our ambush, he’s in the detention cells. Lin had already interrogated him and got a safe house location and a few other things. He said he’s told us everything he knows.” 

Rage grew in the pit of her stomach. “Bring me to him.” 

I

Korra flew above the estate and collapsed her glider free falling through the air towards the ground. The adrenaline coursing through her body as the ground sped closer almost felt as good as blood bending. She bent the air beneath her slowing her decent then fire from her feet shooting her forward and she rolled onto the ground. With a sigh Korra dusted herself off and began to stroll towards the estate before taking her face mask off. _Till next time Akuma,_ she thought playfully. Eventually she’d gotten Hama to blood bend without provoking her and been proud of how quickly she got it down. Dr. Ahanu was equally proud and even more eager to see more progress the next night. As was Korra, her boots flattened the grass as she floated through the yard towards the house. She’d been up all night training with Hama and not slept a wink, her body had new bruises and aches, but she was as right as rain. As she rounded the front of the estate the spring in her step disappeared. “Tenzin?”

“Morning Korra, late night?” Tenzin said hopping off his bison into the gravel driveway in front of the estate. 

“Yeah, I was at my therapists…” She reached a newly nervous hand to the back of her neck “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk, have you had breakfast yet?” Tenzin asked caution bleeding into the sentence. 

Korra’s stomach rumbled. “Not yet actually,” She didn’t let her guard down. _It’s Tenzin how bad could it go?_ She realized it would also give her more time to think about what to say to Asami. “Where did you have in mind?” 

Tenzin nodded towards the bison. “You pick,” He shot up to the Bison on a burst of air and waited for Korra to join him. 

Korra shrugged her shoulders and joined him on the bison. “Just head downtown?”

Tenzin nodded “Yip Yip!” 

I

Ren crunched he teeth down on a pain pill she’d been prescribed as her eyes bored into the earth bender responsible for killing Yukio. She raised an eyebrow at the chains holding the earth bender down to the ground as she unlocked the cell door and walked in, the pain pill already numbing her burns and broken ribs. The prisoner stirred as she entered, immediately scared by her presence. Ren looked at the prisoner’s arm which was bent at an unnatural angle, _Lin’s handy work no doubt._ She stood staring at him, letting him squirm and her anger build inside the pit in her stomach. “Do you know who I am?”

“T-The lady who was here before…she said someone would come for me.” The earth bender shook in fear but tried to keep a brave face. 

Ren rolled her neck as the pain killer took full effect. “Then you know why I’m here?”

“You….you’re going to kill me.”

Ren nodded. “Do you know why I’m going to kill you?” She clenched her fists as the prisoner didn’t answer. “You and the other earth bender killed one of my squad…a friend of mine, a mother, and a wife.” She moved closer and the prisoner moved back flinching as his broken arm moved in his chains. “You killed her, if you hadn’t you’d be walking free right now,” She clenched her fists no longer feeling the burns on her hands. “I just wanted to get everyone back alive.” 

“Please…I-I don’t want to die…please.” 

Ren’s fist came down hard and fast on the prisoner’s jaw. “DO YOU THINK SHE WANTED TO DIE!” She didn’t wait for an answer before hitting the prisoner again and again. Ren’s fists pummeled the prisoner’s face. The blows hit bone and her hands began to bleed, her own blood mixing with the prisoner’s bloodied face. “Well? DID SHE?” She stepped back and flexed her hands feeling a sting of pain from behind the pain killer. Ren clenched her teeth as the prisoner began to sob and tears mixed with the blood streaming from his face. She let loose a built up scream of rage in his face and began punching him again and again. The pain of her knuckles being cut against bone masked by the pain killer she’d chewed. _You bastard!_ She kept punching and punching not stopping when the prisoner slumped backwards pulling against his chains. Tears ran down her face as she kept slamming her fists against the prisoner’s face.

“Ren! STOP!” Eri grabbed Ren’s arms and held them back. 

She caught her breath and instantly her system flooded with pain as she looked down at her hands and saw there was as much of her blood on them as his. Ren stared at her hands and looked at the prisoner, or what was left of his face, she had delivered on Lin’s threat. “Did we get any information from him?” 

Eri eyed the bloodied face of the dead man in chains as she answered. “Location of a safe house, where they were supposed to bring the spears.” 

“We need to get a team in there,” 

“Already on their way.” 

I

Lok stopped at the door to her apartment and unlocked several deadbolts before quickly rushing through the door and locking the numerous deadbolts again. She sighed as she looked around the room to make sure no one had broken in. The Red Lotus had bought the apartment, and her cover working as at the Southern Water Tribe cultural center paid for utilities. Which left the apartment almost embarrassingly sparse, a worn down couch that doubled as her bed with a small coffee table strewn with various weapons in front of it. Besides that there was a kitchen and an equally small bathroom. Lok quickly collapsed on the couch new bruises causing new aches and pains, and let her eyes droop shut. It had been an exhausting couple of days, thankfully it was her day off from her cover job and she intended to sleep it all away. She slowly began to drift off, her whole body relaxed against the couch. Through her almost sleeping state she could hear a faint tapping on the only window the apartment had. She sighed and wanted to ignore it rolling on to her side on the couch. However the tapping persisted and she glanced lazily at the small window. Immediately she jumped from the couch as she saw the tapping was a carrier hawk tapping at the window. The massive bird stood fast as she opened the window and grabbed the tube from the bird’s back. _Finally_ , she opened the tube and unraveled the piece of paper, she waited for the bird to fly away before shutting the window. Quickly she sat down on the couch and reached for the only book on the table full of weapons. While she did read quite a bit, the copy of Love Amongst The Dragons was not something she’d read. It served merely as the companion to the coded messages she received. The code was not a complex one, its security lied in the fact that if someone managed to intercept the message they wouldn’t know what book matched it. The list of numbers corresponded only to Lok’s copy, marking the page and the word on the page. She’d thumbed through the pages hundreds of times before, each time the name and location of her target slowly forming and the anticipation slowly building. She scribbled out the first word ‘ _CHAIRMAN’ …no wait_ she flipped back to the page. _‘Chairmen…”_

I

Lin laid back on a patch of bright red grass in a gorge deep inside the Spirit World though, she mindlessly played with Kya’s hand as she laid next to her. While the deep blue spirit filled sky and the mountains in the distance was a sight to see, she had kept her eyes on Kya still not really believing she was real. She reached across and cupped Kya’s face in her hand smiling. 

Kya blushed. “Why do you keep doing that?”

“I’m just checking that you’re still here.” Lin answered with a smile on her face. 

“I’m here…” Kya kissed her softly. “See?”

Lin held back more tears of happiness. “I—I really thought I lost you.”

Kya smirked. “Did you think death could stop me from marrying you?”

Lin rolled her eyes and kissed Kya once more. “No,” She grasped the betrothal necklace still dangling from her neck. “I suppose I should give you this back,” She unclasped it and carefully replaced it where it belonged. 

Kya smiled and held the pendant. “Just as beautiful as I remember.” 

Lin laid back in the grass as a question nibbled at her mind. “So can I just stay here?…Would that work?”

Kya raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “I don’t even know how I ended up here,” She sighed and let herself fall back into the grass. “Iroh meditated here…somehow, He makes my dad look like an amateur when it comes to spirit stuff. We could ask him.”

Lin nodded. “I’ll figure it out somehow,”

“Lin…you know I want you to, but, what about everyone else?”

“Everyone else?” Lin raised an eyebrow.

The older woman nodded. “Your sister, your mother, Korra and Asami, you can’t just leave them high and dry…”

“They’d understand…” Lin offered herself but immediately realized she couldn’t abandon Korra to fight the Red Lotus alone. “Okay…you’re right.”

“How is everyone else?” 

“Everything is as fucked up as normal, Korra and I are…”

Kya stopped. “Korra and you are what?”

“We sort of agreed to destroy the Red Lotus with the Kyoshi.” Lin rubbed her neck nervously.

Her instinct was to scold Lin, but being that the Red Lotus was responsible for her death she could see the upside. Still she sighed. “Has Korra gotten worse?”

“She’s not gotten any better,”Lin sighed, as much as Korra was getting worse she couldn’t deny the obvious advantages Blood Bending had given her.

“You need to help her…” Kya looked off into the distance. “Blood bending will destroy her.” 

“I don’t disagree,” 

“And yet?” Kya raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t think she wants to, and with her being able to blood bend we can destroy the Red Lotus for sure.” Lin explained. 

“I don’t think you understand Lin, it will kill her, if she keeps going it’ll eat away at her till there is nothing left.” Kya broke out in chills. 

Lin sighed. “Okay, so what do we do? Try and stop the damned Avatar?” 

She thumbed the pendant on her neck. “I’ll figure something out,” 

“Plus she’s not going to stop going after the Red Lotus…and neither should I.” Lin offered. “If she has to she’ll go alone and I can’t let her do that.” 

“Just promise me you’ll look out for her…” Kya grabbed Lin’s face “And come back to me.”

Lin kissed Kya gently. “Always.”

I

Korra sat tentatively taking bites from an entirely vegetarian sandwich with her Air bending master across from her. They’d settled at one of the few vegetarian establishments, Korra despised the place because of its ridiculous location: a rooftop. The rooftop was on a lower building and one of the few still structurally sound, the idea of so many windows and vantage points around her made her skin crawl. On top of that the waiters always seemed to be almost too attentive. The whole place seemed fake, the rooftop was covered in fake grass and scattered with wooden tables for the guests. Even the plants and flowers lining the roof were seemingly fake. “So…you wanted to talk?”

Tenzin finished a lettuce wrap and cleared his throat. “I want to make sure you’re doing okay.” He brushed some crumbs from his beard. “I’m worried about you Korra, and I’m not the only one,” 

Korra held her hand before it could shake. “I’m fine.” _I have everything under control_.

“Korra, the day I met you I knew you were strong, and you proved me right with every trial you faced…” He stopped struggling with how to phrase the next sentence. “I think the only thing strong enough to destroy you is yourself.” 

“Tenzin, I’m not going to ‘destroy myself’, why does everyone keep asking me if I’m fine?” She held her hand tightly. “I am fine! I’ve got everything under control.”

_…I don’t want to be right._ “Korra, we just want to help you, what I’ve heard is…alarming to say the least.” 

“What have you heard?” Korra asked with a fire in her eyes. 

“Just that you haven’t stopped blood bending,” Tenzin back pedaled. “Korra it’s dangerous, more dangerous than you know, You’ll feel in control until its too late.” 

“Who told you?” 

“Korra, listen, everyone is just trying to help.” Tenzin explained. 

“Who told you?

“Korra, calm down,” Tenzin grew increasingly nervous. “I’m just trying to tell you that what you’re doing is dangerous, and your friends are concerned…”

“I have it under control Tenzin.” Korra glared annoyed at the powerful shaking in her hand. 

Tenzin wanted to argue further but he couldn’t shake the feeling that the most powerful bender in the world wasn’t afraid to attack him. “…I hope you’re right.” He searched for a reason to change the subject. “Jinora found Kya…” 

The rage fueled fire in Korra’s eyes died down. “What?”

“She’s in the sprit world of all places!” Tenzin said happily. 

“You’re kidding!” Korra’s anger was momentarily suspended and replaced with happiness. “This is amazing!”

“I know…it’s incredible.” Tenzin agreed glad to see the rage fading from her. 

“How did she end up there?”

“We don’t know, I visited myself and she said she just woke up there after the bombing.” Tenzin messed with his beard as he looked at the Avatar that he used to know so well. The rage had faded but instead of disappearing it was just held back behind her eyes, waiting to be released. “You should go see her, she’d be thrilled.”

Korra tensed at the idea, Kya had been less than thrilled at her blood bending when she had been alive. While Korra would say she was getting better and not worse, Kya would definitely be in line with Tenzin. While Korra felt fine and believed everything was under her control, she knew her aura would be a dead give away. “I will, Dr. Ahanu wants me to see him more and more, I think we’re making a lot of progress.” She shifted the subject. 

“Dr. Ahanu?” Tenzin asked.

“My therapist,” 

“How is he helping you?”

“We talk, he’s a water bender so he understands blood bending…and he knows how to stop it.” She lied flawlessly. 

“That sounds promising.” Tenzin was suspicious to say the least, but a ray of hope was a comforting sight. 

“I think so,” Korra let go of her now steady hand sighing remembering the feeling of the trainees’ heart beats in her hand.

“Korra…I just want you to know, we care about you and want you to be happy.” 

Korra finished the last bite of her sandwich. “I’m getting better, I promise.” Lying to Tenzin but not herself. 

I

Asami sighed as she looked again at a fresh pile of paper work, she’d left the estate in a rush before Korra had returned. While she knew eventually she’d have to talk to her again, she wanted to delay it as much as possible. _I hope Tenzin can do something…anything._ She leaned back in her chair and put her feet up on the desk. Her father would've been furious, but in her mind it was her office and she made the rules. She was torn between wanting to shove the work away down to a secretary and actually having something to do at the office keeping her away from Korra. Thankfully the phone rang before she could make a decision. “Asami Sato.” 

“Asami, it’s Ren”

“Hey Ren, how are you doing? I heard what happened.” Asami waited for an answer as a bizarre crunching sound filled the phone. 

“I’m doing fine, but I have a request, some modifications I need made to my suit.” 

“Okay now I’m interested, what did you have in mind?” 

“I got hit by a lightning strike from a fire bender, I need a way to absorb the lightning and not get fried again.” Ren cleared her throat. 

The gears turned in Asami’s head. “I’ll have something ready by tomorrow,” _Finally something interesting._ She was filled with a new excitement, a project with problems she could solve and something to build. Plenty to do and plenty to keep her away from Korra. They quickly said their goodbyes and good lucks and Asami dialed one more number. 

“R&D department”

“Bring me two sets of the Kyoshi armor we developed, and a set of electro gauntlets, as well as my tools.” 

I

Korra opened the door to the estate and hurriedly closed the door behind her leaving Tenzin and his bison to leave. She took a deep breath and walked across the empty foyer and jogged up the stairs. “Asami?” She called cautiously, she knew they would have to talk again eventually, she just hadn’t quite worked out what to say yet. _Asami, I just need you to trust me, I’m doing fine and I have everything under control._ Even in her mind she could tell Asami wouldn’t buy it. _Fuck, why can’t she just understand._ “Asami?” She called again moving down the hallway to their room. She opened the door and her shoulders fell as she saw a completely empty room. She chewed her lip and strolled over to the phone on their nightstand quickly dialing the number she’d memorized. 

“You’ve reached the office of Asami Sato, this is her secretary speaking how may I direct your call?” 

“Hey this is Korra, is Asami in? Can I talk to her?”

“She’s not accepting calls at the moment Avatar Korra, my apologies.”

Korra raised an eyebrow. “Okay, uh, tell her I called then?” 

“I’ll tell her myself Avatar,” 

“Are you sure—” Korra began but stopped when the line went dead, she sighed and collapsed on the bed wishing she could at least talk to her. She rolled over and stared at the ceiling, Dr. Ahanu was expecting her at least. _It’ll be good to blow off some steam._ Her hand shook steadily, she longed for the feeling of a pulse in her hand. She reached for the face mask she had stashed in her pocket when Tenzin wasn’t looking. When she put it on she was free, she could blood bend and enjoy it without criticism. She checked her watch, she would be early by a few hours, but she wanted badly to train. She clenched her hand longing Hama’s heart beat throbbing in her hands. Korra sighed remembering the moments of euphoria that it brought as her power made them scream in pain. She tied the face mask around her neck grabbed her glider and headed back to the main staircase. She had felt the same excitement as a girl before her father took her on a hunting trip. Only on her father’s hunting trips she wasn’t sure she’d capture any prey. She threw open the front door to the estate and froze wide eyed as a man stood ready to knock on the other side. She quickly pulled down her face mask. “Uh…hello?”

“Avatar Korra I presume?” 

Korra nodded as the polite man in a forgettable suit bowed. “I’m here to deliver a message from the Republic City Council, they request your presence at the debate tomorrow. Your attendance would show support as well as bolster security measures.” 

Korra raised an eyebrow. “What time and where?” 

“Noon!” The polite man answered happily, he had been told to expect resistance at the very concept of the Avatar showing up. “At Beifong square” 

“Fine,” Korra answered quickly. “Now, please, _leave_.” Korra bored her eyes into the mans soul before he sprung into action quickly running to his sato mobile and speeding away. She waited for the dust trail of the man’s sato mobile to disappear before raising her face mask again. Korra disappeared beneath it and deployed her glider taking off on a bust of air and curving the glider north towards Dr. Ahanu’s cottage. Towards the idea and pleasure of heart beats at her finger tips. Towards freedom.

I

An elephant rat skittered across the long grass of Dr. Ahanu’s lawn, it had been set free of it’s cage and was making frantic dash across the lawn away from the house. With a shrill cry it stopped in its tracks and reared up on its hind legs. Korra grimaced, it felt different blood bending an animal. The strong and pounding heart beat of a human was replaced with a quick and consistent tapping in her hands. _One more reason to hate these little bastards._

“Good, now do what you described to me.” Dr. Ahanu instructed from a chair on the porch, the near moonless night and the roof of the porch cloaked him in darkness. 

Korra nodded and brought the elephant rat into the air gripping it’s blood with both her hands she twisted her hands and pulled them apart. The elephant rat let out an ear ringing scream and exploded in a shower of blood. 

“Damn…” Hama commented watching her teacher at work. 

Korra wiped a blob of blood from her forehead. “So that’s what happens…” 

“I hope you don’t use that when we’re sparring.” Hama joked. 

“Can we spar?” Korra turned to look at Hama, in silhouette she looked like a much shorter version of Asami.

Hama was thankful for the face mask hiding her fear. “Uh…if you want.” 

Korra could hear the hesitation in her voice. “It’s fine if you don’t want to,” She held her hand expecting it to twitch. The elephant rats worked for training but didn’t deliver the same rush of euphoria. While she wanted to feel it again, she didn’t want to simply rag doll a student of hers. 

“Take turns practicing holds.” Dr. Ahanu called from the darkened porch. 

“You first?” 

Korra could barely hold back she shoved Hama back by grabbing her heart with one hand. Her shoulders dropped as a wave of euphoria washed over her as Hama’s heart beat began to pound. She brought her higher into the air and squeezed feeling her blood push back against her hand. 

Hama bit back a scream, something about Akuma’s grip was different than the others’ grips. Not just in the intensity behind it, but it was like it wasn’t just meant to subdue someone, it was meant to hurt them. She watched from her peripherals and saw Akuma bring up her other hand and immediately felt her body twisting. The scream erupted from her lungs. 

“That’s enough Akuma!” 

Korra ignored him and enjoyed the continued grip on Hama’s heart. _Just a little longer…_

“AKUMA ENOUGH!” 

Hama felt Akuma release her then immediately she hit the ground with a thud, she tried to catch her breath but she ended up dry heaving instead. She waved her hand. _I’m fine. I’m fine! Just breathe!_ She stood still a little shaky. 

“I…uh, sorry I just…” _Didn’t want to stop…_

“Got carried away?” Hama answered for her. 

Korra nodded floating on a cloud of euphoria, too preoccupied with enjoying the rare feeling to considered whether or not she hurt Hama or not. _‘I don’t know if you are’_ Asami’s voice floated over her pleasure and anger quickly flooded her. She waited for Hama to catch her breath before nodding at her. “Remember, get angry.” 

Hama took a deep breath, the cool night air filling her lungs, _‘If you could fight better, your mother would still be alive!’_ She reached out her hand, in the lack of moonlight she had to concentrate to feel Akuma’s heart. _Damn…_ she finally felt it through the air a strong beating that reminded her of a war drum. 

“DO IT!” Korra screamed at her, anger burned in her eyes. 

Hama tried to concentrate on the pain she’d felt moments ago at the hands of Akuma, she could feel her heart beat speed up. Her entire body tensed as she saw her hand twitching by her side. Hama reacted instantly as Akuma raised her arm, she gripped on tightly to the pounding heart beat across from her, desperate to keep her from attacking. 

Korra tensed where she stood, her whole body felt like it was cramping up, she waited for more tensing, more pain, but nothing happened. She pushed herself against Hama’s grip, forcing it back, the more she pushed the more it hurt. She groaned in pain as she forced one foot forward in the grass and soon the next. “If you hold back I’m going to attack you again!” Korra forced herself forward and finally felt Hama’s grip at full force, and enough pain to make Asami’s voice disappear. She couldn’t stop a pained gasp rattling from her lungs, _you deserve this…_ slowly the pain was all she could concentrate on, hitting her brain like a flare in the night. 

“Enough Hama!” 

Korra felt the grip on her disappear and immediately fell backwards onto the soft grass, unlike Hama her breath returned instantly and she laid staring up at the sky. _I’m in control…I have everything under control._ The last bits of pain subsided and she realized Hama was standing over her. “Nice job.” 

“I learned from the best.” Hama reached down and offered a hand to Korra.

Korra grabbed the hand and let herself be pulled up by Hama, immediately she leaned onto Hama for support as her knees threatened to give out. “Sorry.” 

Hama raised an eyebrow. “No problem.” 

“Good job you two, release another rat.” Dr. Ahanu instructed from the porch finally moving from his chair and lighting a lantern. He quickly moved inside to retrieve a cup of tea. 

Hama kicked a wicker cage holding a large elephant rat, She reached for the beating heart of the animal and opened the cage. The rat didn’t make it a foot before it squealed under her grip and she brought it into the air. Animals were much easier for her, the weaker heart beat and the lack of will made them more pliable. “Catch!” 

Korra snapped out of a trance just in time to see Hama toss the rat up into the air, she rolled her eyes but played along. Reaching her hands up she could feel the panicked beady heart beat in the air, she stopped it from hitting the ground and brought it back up. Tossing it quickly back towards Hama and backing up to make distance. “You’re a special kind of messed up.”

Hama caught the creature by it’s blood and tossed it back. “Aren’t we all?” 

Korra caught the animal and threw it higher in the sky earning a shrill cry as it rose. Normally she’d put the thing out its misery but Hama was entertained and training at the same time. She gave the rat another toss sending it farther into the sky. “Incoming!”

Hama looked into the sky losing the rat in the dark but concentrated on the heart beat steady tapping away. And the sound. The rat was screeching probably scared out of its mind, as the sound got nearer she reached out. The beat was moving to fast towards the ground and it slipped from her grasp. She grimaced as a bone crunching sound echoed against the mountainside. “Oops.”

Korra smirked and shrugged. “You’re getting better though.” Korra closed the distance crossing her arms as she neared Hama. 

“I still don’t know how you do it, you’re…almost scary.” 

“I’ve…just got a lot of shit to workout.” 

“I suppose that’s what the therapist is for.” Hama jerked her thumb towards Dr. Ahanu. “Though I suppose normal people would just talk about it.” 

“I sorta tried that, she just thinks I’m a monster now…” Korra sighed. “Everyone does.”

“Akuma, you’re not a monster…we’re not monsters, we just need to protect ourselves…and others.” Hama consoled. 

Korra felt her hand twitch ever so slightly. “I’m not sure sometimes…” 

Hama cautiously placed her hand on Akuma’s shoulder. “I’m sure.” 

Korra smiled beneath her mask. “Thank you.” 

I

 I’d love to just be able to write for a living but I’ve got bills to pay and mouths to feed and ain’t nothing in this world for free. Please REVIEW, nothing motivates me more than the notifications I get when one of you has reviewed a new chapter. 


	17. Politcal Activism part 2

 

Lok leapt into the air going weightless casting a shadow on the masses of people in the streets beneath her. The roof of the next building came rushing up beneath her and she rolled into it springing up into a run headed across the roof. The slate tiles shattered beneath her feet but she was moving too quickly to slip, she readjusted the heavy duffle bag on her shoulders and leapt to the next roof. She was almost there, the location she’d carefully chosen for her revenge. Lok had trained for months using Long Range Spears that the Red Lotus had stolen, her first attempt at Asami Sato’s life was foiled only because of the Avatar interfering. When she had decoded the cipher and saw the list of names she knew the Avatar wouldn’t stop her this time. She slowed her pace as the target building came into view, a small three story affair with an open terrace for a roof. She dropped into the prone as a cop came into view, she’d expected there to be security. She got to her feet and sprinted, before the cop could even scream she dropped him to the ground with a broken neck. She flopped the duffle bag down on top of him and walked to the edge of the roof. The debate was well underway, an open stage with several podiums all with various puppets behind them. She pulled a set of binoculars out from the bag and scoped in on the stage. _Tsusamo, Lee, Ishihara, and Takenaka…dead men walking._ She scanned the crowd huge crowd, a few hundred were packed into seats directly in front of the stage, hundreds more stood behind them. Returning to the duffle she took out four spears, it was going to be tricky, but she was here for revenge. If she missed she’d be a dead woman. While the Red Lotus didn’t have official rules, it was an understanding it wasn’t an organization you could leave, especially not in failure. _Relax, you’ve got this, they’re already dead you’re just a messenger._

I

 

“Are you alright Avatar?” Chief Barzoon leaned over and asked in a hushed voice as the candidates argued loudly into their microphones. 

“I’m fine.” Korra lied, _you are so not fine,_ her forehead was slick with a cold sweat as an entire crowds worth of heartbeats thudded against hers. She clenched her stomach tightly and concentrated on her boots, she wasn’t even paying attention to the candidates, _calm down…keep calm…master it._ She exhaled shaking ever so slightly. The feeling of one heart beat was intoxicating, the feeling of a hundred was toxic. Each thudded on its own rhythm pounding against hers making her heart scream with adrenaline. Bile burned in the back of her throat, _stay…calm,_ her hand shook as she held her stomach. She lurched forward as the crowd erupted in cheer, the pulses all raced inside her, her own heart panged at her. _I need to get out of here._ She stood, swaying on her feet as she felt a sharp stabbing in her chest, her hand shot up and grabbed at it. _Get away from here!_ Korra stumbled forward and away from the crowd following the path in front of the stage. She turned to see confused faces who weren’t paying attention to the debate anymore. Her whole body was shaking. Her eyes looked away as she waved them off, she could barely think. She continued forward the crowd erupted in screams and she fell to the ground. The crowd’s heart beat exploded. She turned over on the cold ground clenching her chest as it stabbed back at her. Korra looked at the stage and saw one of the candidates slumped forward on his podiums. _WHAT?_ Korra shot to her feet the pain dissipating from shock, the whole crowd was scattering. 

“ARE YOU OKAY?” 

Korra shook herself out of the panicked trance and realized Barzoon was yelling at her, she fought through the crowd. “What just happened?”

“SPEARS!” He yelled over the stampeding crowd. 

Korra quickly scanned across the rooftops and saw a dark figure turn and run. “NOT THIS TIME.” Not caring that the crowd was swarming around her she shot up on a pillar of earth, immediately her eyes glowed and fire shot from her hands and feet sending her across the square. She was over the roof in seconds, the figure was several roof tops away already. Korra crashed down onto the roof and sprinted after the Assassin. She could feel the heart of the Assassin beating, begging to be crushed. As Korra’s boots pounded across the roof she reached out. 

“GET HER!” 

Korra turned her head and saw three uniformed police officers joining her chase. _Not now!_ She swore and dropped her hand which throbbed at her side, the pains in her heart were gone now, replaced with a craving. She chased after the Assassin leaving the police officers in her dust. She leapt across the rooftops on bursts of fire, the sleek and newly constructed buildings of Beifong square turning into older relics of the downtown area. As she followed the Assassin the rooftops began to crowd with water towers, clothes lines, and antennas. Korra leapt across the last rooftop before the Sato square began and rolled to a halt. The Assassin, who she could now see was a woman was dressed in all black with a bandana tied around her face. Korra wanted to taunt her but all she could feel was the pounding of a heart beat across from her. She ripped the water from two adjacent water towers bending them into two long arms and stood still waiting for the panting Assassin to strike. 

_You have no idea what you’re in for._ Lok brought waved her arms around her gathering water from the air itself. She charged firing spikes of ice as she closed the distance. 

Korra raised an eyebrow and punched straight through the spikes of ice. _IM GOING TO KILL THIS BITCH_. She brought her arm of water slashing across the rooftop and slammed it into the Assassin sending her rolling across the rooftop. Through the adrenaline of the fight she could clearly feel the heart of the Assassin throbbing against her own. 

Lok sprang off her back onto her feet and targeted Korra’s feet with blasts of water. 

Korra stopped to kick the water free while cartwheeling two barrages of water. _Damn police, I’d have ripped her heart out by now if this wasn’t in public._ Korra froze one arm of water and sliced it quickly through the air nearly slicing the Assassin in half. 

Lok jumped back just in time to catch the edge of the blade in her stomach, she grimaced in pain. _If that’s how you want to play it._ Lok froze her water around her finger tips in long razor sharp claws and charged. 

Korra brought her arms of water back and forth across the rooftop trying to slam them against the Assassin. She yelled in anger as the Assassin leapt over them and closed the distance bringing a hand downwards slicing against her face. The searing pain hit her first, the anger second, her left eye stung with blood as she kicked the Assassin in the chest. She screamed again and shot water beneath the Assassin freezing it into a pool of ice, then bringing a block of ice slamming into her chest. “I’m going to bring you in.” Korra yelled as the Assassin slammed into the ice. “Then I’m going to tear you apart!”

_Fuck._ Lok raised her hand and reached for the Avatar’s pulse. 

Korra’s body tensed against itself and she froze, _…Hama?_ Korra didn’t even hesitate to force herself against the grip and grab Hama by her heart and squeeze. 

Korra eased her grip despite the anger erupting within her. “What the fuck are you doing here Hama?”

“You’re…you’re the Avatar?” Hama’s pain dissipated as her whole body reacted in surprise. 

“SHE HEADED THIS WAY!”

Korra crushed Hama by her heart beat. “No time to explain, do exactly as I say or I will make you look like that elephant rat. Go to Dr. Ahanu’s wait for me there.” 

Hama could barely stop herself from screaming, Korra’s grip felt awful before but now it was unbearable. She managed to nod as tears streamed down her face. 

Korra sighed and brought her to the edge of the roof, still holding on tightly to her pulse, the alley way below was deserted. She dangled Hama over the edge and dropped her, earning a small scream before she bent a whirlwind of air beneath her plummeting friend. There was a loud but nonlethal thud as Hama hit the ground in the alleyway. “GO!” Korra yelled and turned back to the rooftop, she could see three police officers making there way closer to her. Korra shot across the rooftops on a burst of flame until she was within ear range. “She must of doubled back!” 

“Did you get a good look at her?” One of the female officers asked. 

Korra acted winded. “No, not really, was anyone hit by the spears?” 

The police officers all looked at each other sullenly. “Three of the candidates are dead, Tsusamo was only wounded.”

“Damn it, I’m going to go back to the square and rendezvous with Chief Barzoon, you three keep searching.” Korra instructed and took off across the rooftops with the officers not suspecting a thing. 

I

Lin stepped out of the spirit portal, the hand that held hers disappearing as Republic city came back into existence. She sighed and wished that she could stay with Kya forever, _soon I won’t ever have to say goodbye again._ She headed across the crater towards the old city ruins that were in the process of demolition. Lin’s ears perked up at the familiar sound of sirens, a lot of them, _that can’t be good._ She broke into a run, her metal armored feet clanking on the sidewalk that was cluttered with construction cranes and rubble. As the she closed in on the sirens a shadow covered the street. Lin looked up and saw a familiar bison flying low, _I’m getting to old for this,_ she fired a cable into the side of a half destroyed sky scraper and launched herself through the air. As she went weightless she held her fingers up to her mouth and whistled. The tall bald Air bending master looked up from the head of his bison and banked left. Lin hit the saddle and rolled her knees and back complaining as she did. “What the flameo is going on downtown?”

“Morning to you too Lin, three of the candidates are dead, shot straight through their hearts. I’m headed there now, where have you been?” 

“The Spirit world…Kya says hi.” Lin took a seat in the saddle of the bison as the city passed beneath. “Any leads on the Assassin?”

“Not anything Chief Barzoon told me, Korra chased after her but lost her on the rooftops.” Tenzin said pulling at his beard. 

“The Assassin got away from Korra?” Lin knew bullshit when she smelled it. “I’m surprised Korra didn’t rip the Assassin to shreds.”

“It’s…strange to say the least, she might not have used her blood bending because she was in public…” 

“She’s scaring you too…isn’t she.” Lin crossed her legs and relaxed as the Bison began its descent. 

“To say the least,” 

Lin waited for the Bison to touch down before hopping off, immediately she was struck with a sense of Deja Vu. The police tape encircled the entirety of the stage and a sea of knocked over seats in front of it. The stage was a mess as well with three bodies lying beneath white sheets. She followed Tenzin through a small crowd of reporters and ducked beneath the police tape. 

“Master Tenzin, Lin, what brings you two here?” Chief Barzoon strolled up two the pair. 

Lin raised an eyebrow, she had forgotten just how out of shape her replacement was, the two pack a day smoking habit didn’t help either. _The Chief of Police should lead by example damn it._ “Any leads on the Assassin?” 

“Not as of yet, Avatar Korra gave us a height and build description but nothing too solid to go on.” Barzoon stopped to cough into his closed hand. “She’s being seen by the medics now, we’ve got the surrounding blocks on lockdown for now just in case.” 

“Was she injured?” Tenzin asked concerned. 

“Just a scrape, she said she caught a stray piece of ice from the Assassin.” Barzoon coughed into his hand again. 

“She fought the Assassin?” 

“Briefly, but she gave her the slip, medics are over there if you want to talk to her about it yourselves.” Barzoon answered and strolled his way to the gaggle of reporters outside the police tape. 

“I don’t know many people that could beat her in a fight.” Lin said suspicious.

Tenzin merely nodded and began to walk towards the far side of the stage with Lin in tow. _What are you up to Korra…_

“I told you I’m fine just stick a damn bandage on it.” Korra barked at medic inspecting her wound. 

“Korra, we heard what happened.” Tenzin greeted sounding like a concerned father.

Lin raised an eyebrow nodding in greeting, Korra looked rough to say the least, like she hadn't slept in days. She also had a nasty cut down the side of her face that narrowly missed her eye. “She got away?” 

Korra nodded. _She’ll spot you lying from a mile away._ “Can we talk alone?” Korra looked at the medic who shrugged and packed away the bandages glad to be done with her. “The crowd sort of freaked me out, I was having a panic attack when they got shot, it gave her enough of a head start…” Korra’s mind whirred still a little shaky from the pain in her heart during the debate, she’d finally gotten to blood bend but it had only aroused her appetite for it. “She was firing blind as she ran away, nearly took my eye out.” Korra bent the details hoping Lin wouldn’t be too critical of them. 

_She's lying._ Lin shrugged, she didn’t exactly want to confront the blood bending Avatar without proof. “Well, there goes the election,” 

“Tsusamo survived, the spear only clipped his shoulder.” Korra spoke as she held her hand still. 

Tenzin groaned. “Of course he did,” 

Korra sighed. “I need to get back to the estate, and get some sleep.” 

Tenzin nodded doubting it was lack of sleep that gave her such a gaunt appearance. “If you want I can take you on Oogie.” 

Korra chewed on her lip, on one hand a trip with Lin and Tenzin wasn’t exactly what she wanted. On the other she was barely able to stay awake, and her hand kept shaking badly. “I’d really appreciate that actually.” 

 

I

Asami pulled on her latest creation, a modified version of the current armor that future industries supplied to the KWG. The suit was insulated with a thick black fabric and with a copper color strip starting on the back of the hands and running up to the shoulders where it connected to a power cell on the back. She pulled on two electro gauntlets and plugged them into a cable that was embedded into each of the selves. She was back in the depths of the research and development department of Future Industries. The testing chamber she was in was different then the one for her prototype engine, this was a for testing combat equipment. The whole of the floor was covered in rubber matting lit by bright white lights. The room was large enough to test mech suits but for now it only had Asami and an engineer in it. 

“Are you sure about this Ms. Sato?” 

Asami rolled her neck and walked over to her engineer. “Trust me, I designed the suit myself it’ll work, I just need you to hit me with everything you got.”

The engineer a sheepish man in a white lab coat looked at her uncertainly through round glasses. “It’s been years since I used my bending, even then I was never very good at lightning.” 

“Quan, you’ll do fine.” Asami placed a reassuring gauntlet clad hand on his shoulder and walked away from him. “Test one of the Kaminari suit, the time is zero seven, commencing trial.” She spoke to a running tape recorder situated across the room. 

Quan sighed and took a fighting stance with two fingers extended from both hands. 

Asami assumed her own fighting stance bringing up the electro gauntlets. “Whenever you’re ready.” 

Quan whirled his arms and shot his arm out pointing his fingers at his boss with his eyes tightly shut. 

Asami took a deep breath and flinched as the room filled with a bright blue light and lightning leapt from Quan’s fingers at her. The bolt hit her suit and traveled up copper strips and fed into the power cell. She felt like she’d dodged a bullet as the whole suit buzzed with electricity, she closed her fists and opened them firing two bolts into the far wall of the testing facility. A smile broke out across her face as she turned to the other wall and fired another burst of lighting from the gauntlets. “Perfect.” 

I

Korra slipped off the Bison with Lin following, she quickly said her goodbyes to Tenzin and moved up the steps of the estate. She sighed as she entered the main foyer, even without asking she knew Asami hadn’t returned, the whole building felt cold without her. Korra felt like she’d been run over, the lack of sleep and stress from the debate coupled with the reappearance of the pain in her heart made her want to crawl into bed and never leave. 

“Breakfast?” Lin asked.

Korra’s stomach rumbled in protest. “That doesn’t sound too bad actually.” She followed Lin to the kitchen and sat down at the table with her head in her hands. 

“If I didn’t know better it I’d say you look like you have the worst hang over of your life.” Lin said as she opened the fridge searching for something easy. 

Korra’s mind flittered back to the cold sweat and pain of all the hearts pounding inside her chest. “I’m fine.” She said with growing uncertainty, trying to concentrate on the brief moment of bending Hama rather than the pain in her chest. 

“Look…”

Korra slammed her fist on the table looking at Lin through her disheveled hair. “I’m fine!”

Lin raised an eyebrow and decided to change the subject, _maybe destroying the Red Lotus will help her._ “The Kyoshi are scouting out a safe house the Red Lotus own, given what happened at the debate they’ll probably search the apartment. If they find anything I’ll let you know.” She placed a bowl of cereal in front of the Avatar and sat down across from her with a bowl of her own. “Regardless of what you’re doing to yourself, I need you to help me destroy these bastards. So keep it together.” 

Korra sighed as her hand stopped shaking at the mere mention of destroying the Red Lotus. “I’ve got it under control…”

“Kya seems to think it can actually kill you, so…take it easy I guess.” Lin was struggling to figure out a way to help someone who didn’t actually want to be helped. 

Korra crunched down on cereal to avoid replying to Lin, the food slowly eased the emptiness in her stomach. She couldn’t keep the spoon from shaking as she ate, _Hama was an old lady when she died from blood bending, you’ll be fine…_ The spoon continued to shake. 

Lin watched her from across the table. _Maybe Kya is right…I’ve haven't seen her this rough since after Zaheer._ She cautiously placed a hand on her shoulder. “Look kid, we have your back if you need us, but just…think about stopping.” 

Korra wanted to scream at Lin. “I…” _Don’t want to? Or can’t?_

Lin raised an eyebrow waiting for her to finish the sentence but the kitchen door burst open and Asami stopped as she spotted Korra.“Morning…” Lin greeted 

Korra dropped her spoon and looked at Asami waiting for a reaction. The silence clouded the air like a toxic gas. Korra’s heart hurt for a completely different reason when Asami turned without a word and walked out of the kitchen. “Asami…” Korra’s voice caught in her throat. The door swung shut. “Asami!” Korra shot to her feet knocking over the chair and bolting out of the kitchen. She quickly caught up with her. “Asami, please,”

“Don’t talk to me,” Asami picked up the pace of her walk and headed up the stairs to her room.

“Don’t do this Asami, look I’m sorry about what I said…” Korra stumbled for words as she followed her up the steps. 

“It’s not about what you said, its about blood bending and you know it.” Asami rushed to the door and closed it behind her with more force than she intended. 

Korra tried to open the door but it was locked, tears erupted from her eyes, _Can’t or don’t want to…does it really matter?_ Korra pounded on the door with her fist. “Please let me in Asami, I need to talk to you, I’m…I’m scared.” She sighed as only silence answered her, She dropped to her knees and sat against the door. “I can’t stop Asami…I didn’t want to at first but now, I love you more than anything Asami. I’d stop bending anything if it meant keeping you, please just…give me a chance. I’m sorry…I’ll stop! I’ll stop…I just can’t do this without you. It’s…” _killing me?_ “Asami I want to stop.” Tears stung her face as they ran down the slice Hama had made. “I’ve been ignoring it, but blood bending it…it could kill me.” Korra pulled her knees to her chest. “And I…can’t…stop.” Each word tried clawing its way back into her throat as she spoke them.

Asami unlocked the door and opened it carefully. “Is that true?” 

Korra not looking up from her knees nodded as her body shook with sobs. “I need you…” 

Asami knelt beside her and pulled her against herself as a she sobbed. 

I

Ren sighed and relaxed deeper into the water of the healing tub, she was annoyed she wasn’t working. However spending a few hours in a hot tub getting healed by one of the few bending Kyoshi, she decided, wasn’t an awful way to spend her day. She moved her arms up to the sides of the tub and rolled her neck, the healing facility was completely different from the rest of the KWG headquarters. The cold stone and wood were replaced with a more dojo like canvas walls and wood paneling. The head healer a water tribe woman named Alaway who insisted that tranquil surroundings led to faster healing, sat next to the tub carefully guiding the water back and forth across Ren. Ren closed her eyes and slowly drifted towards sleep. 

“Ren?”

Ren jumped bringing her arms up to defend herself as adrenaline flooded her system. She immediately realized she was still in the hot tub and Eri was standing beside her. “I told you…don’t sneak up on me.” 

“Sorry, look something has happened that you need to hear about, the Red Lotus assassinated all but two of the presidential candidates.” Eri crouched beside her leader. 

“They’re getting ballsy.” Ren took a deep breath suppressing the adrenaline that had flooded her system. Ren raised an eyebrow as Alaway continued to guide the glowing water around her. “Who are the survivors?”

“Tsusamo and Khe,” Eri answered. 

“Well…at least it will make the the ballot simple, any leads on the Assassin?” Ren asked sinking deeper into the hot tub. 

“Negative, our team surveilling the safe house wants permission to move in and breach.” Eri replied. 

Ren mulled it over in her head. “No one has gone in or out?”

“Nope, the next door neighbor who works at the Southern Water Tribe cultural center has come and gone but nothing major.” Eri answered. “It seems the safe house is used for storing weaponry.” 

Ren shrugged. “Breach it.” Again she jumped as the sliding door opened. “AT EASE!” She sprang to her feet as the head of the KWG walked in flanked by two body guards. She was naked, but if the head of the KWG walked in, you stood at ease. “General Hageshi.”

The woman named Hagaeshi moved like a stone statue, every gesture calculated and solid. She’d been the apprentice of the elders and a teacher to the elite of Kyoshi, she was in charge of the entire KWG operation in Republic City. “Sergeant Ren, you’re reputation proceeds you, I understand you had experience with these Red Lotus bastards.” 

Ren was starstruck. “I’ve been…involved with the Avatar’s efforts to exterminate the organization. Lin Beifong has us on contract to personally locate and destroy them faster than the police can.” 

“Good, I’ve read your file, its impressive to say the least, how many warriors on your team?” Hageshi’s war painted face showed nothing. 

Ren inwardly sighed. “Two now,” 

Hageshi held out a hand which her body guard immediately placed a folder in, “Someone get her a robe.” She waved to her guards who immediately retrieved one from a hanger near the door as she opened the file. “Here are the files of six of our best warriors, pick three of them. I want you and your team up to full strength,” She waited for Ren to put on the robe before handing her the file. “In there is your top secret clearance, blank equipment requisition forms, and a letter giving my permission for whatever you need, warriors, weapons, airships.” 

Ren’s eyebrows shot up as she read the file. “Are we going to war?”

“You and your team are, the Red Lotus has made its last attack on this city, and you’re going to make sure of it.” 

I

Asami laid sleepless next to Korra holding her tightly to her chest, after she’d opened the door Korra had nearly begged for sleep. With Asami holding her tightly as she sobbed she eventually fell into a fitful sleep. While she’d been sharing a bed with the Avatar for a while and fitful nights of sleep for her were nothing new. Asami hadn’t even seen her this rough, as Korra drifted to sleep she had slowly bunched the sheets up in her fists pulling them to her chest. Eventually she began to twitch and mutter to herself breaking out into a cold sweat that drenched the bed. As Asami held her it felt like hugging a block of ice, her sense of confidence that she and Korra could defeat blood bending wavered. _She’s usually like an oven…_ she sighed, _I love you…but what have you done to yourself._ Asami braced Korra as the phone rang expecting her to wake up in a panic, but she continued to mumble, tossing and turning. Asami lunged for the phone before it could ring again already furious at the caller for potentially waking Korra. “Hello?” She whispered. 

“Ms. Sato? It’s Dr. Ahanu, is Avatar Korra there?”

Asami chewed on her lip. “She’s taking care of something downtown, Avatar stuff, can I take a message?” She raised an eyebrow at the audible hesitation. 

“Just, uh, tell her I got her message and will reschedule when she needs to.” 

_You called this late for that?_ “I’ll tell her in the morning…how has she been doing?” 

“Oh excellently! She’s been through a lot and still is struggling with her trauma, but in time I have no doubt she will overcome blood b—”

Asami slammed the phone down, she’d never heard Dr. Ahanu lie before, but she was sure she just did. She froze in place as Korra stirred beside her. 

“Who was on the phone?” Korra asked sounding like death. 

“Just someone from the office, nothing to worry about,” Asami laid back beside her, she was still freezing cold and twitching every so often. “Korra?”

She turned to face the one thing keeping her sane. “Yes?” She asked her voice still shaky. 

“I love you.” Asami hid her face in Korra’s neck and hugged her tightly. 

“I love you too.” Korra held on to her, the sunlight slowly fading away behind the curtains of their room. Korra’s cold sweat returned immediately, tonight was a full moon. 

I

Ren sat topless in her apartment with her ribs wrapped in bandages the files of six of the best Kyoshi laid out in front of her. She took a bite of a sandwich she had had delivered and flipped over another page. _Kirā, expert with Katanas, hand to hand combat, and explosives. Started her career with the Kyoshi when she was sixteen by lying about her age. Involved with anti Kuvira operations in enemy territory as well as assassinations of key officials within the Kuviran army._ Ren washed another bite of sandwich down with a sip of wine almost choking on it when she read Kirā’s confirmed kill count. She tossed her file aside, _welcome to the team Kirā,_ devouring the last of the sandwich she pulled another personnel file from the stack. Ren jumped nearly sending the file flying as a fist pounded at the door to her apartment. _This fucking late?…maybe Mako?_ Her heart fluttered but her mind frowned. Slowly and painfully she rose from the floor and looked through the peephole on the door. Bewildered she opened the door and laid eyes on an almost frail man with round glasses. “May I help you?”

“Ms. Ren?” The man asked already knowing the answer.

“Yes…” She mentally calculated the distance between her and her sheathed Dao swords on the couch. 

“Delivery from Asami Sato.” The man held up a large box adorned with the Future Industries Logo. 

“Oh, Thanks.” 

“My pleasure, Ms. Sato sends her regards.” 

Ren closed and locked the door curiosity burning in the back of her mind, she quickly stepped over the files and dropped the box on the couch. She tore it open like a child with a birthday gift, she raised an eyebrow at the sight of the black suit. Quickly she read the note that accompanied it. _‘Kaminari: electric-absorption and delivery suit. Ren, the suit has been tested by me personally. I’ve included a manual but I’m sure you won’t need it, you’ll be the one bending lightning from now on, warm regards, Asami Sato’_ A smirk spread across Ren’s face as she pulled the suit from the box. “Just in time for war.”

I

Korra shivered in the comforter that she’d wrapped around herself and Asami, even with the warm body next to her she felt like she was freezing to death. Her head was pounding and stomach churning as she tried to stay calm. _Just go Korra, you can bend someone and it’ll all be okay._ Bile burned in the back of her throat. _Do you want Asami to leave you! Don’t you fucking dare use it, you can do this!_ Puke bubbled up from the back of her throat immediately causing her to wretch. Quickly falling out of bed she stumbled towards the bathroom barely able to keep the puke from coming out. Nearly diving for the toilet her stomach wretched one last time and puke erupted. Her breath burned as she tried to clear her mouth and nose of the puke. _You can do this…you can do this._ Her hand idly shook as she wiped the vomit from her mouth, her body ached as she pulled herself to the sink and washed her mouth out. Not daring to look at herself in the mirror she turned and walked back to the bedroom. Korra groaned as her body fought against itself as she curled back into bed still trying to keep herself calm. She held her shaking hand tightly to her chest. _Just take a deep breath and relax._ Her body broke out in chills as a calm and constant heart beat began to pound in her hands. Korra slowly rolled over crushing her hand against her chest as she realized whose heart beat it was. _Asami…_ Korra carefully moved out of bed scared of waking her. _I just need some fresh air. Thats all, that’ll calm me down._ Korra silently rushed for the curtains and pulled them back, nearly ripping the doors to the balcony off their hinges. The cold air hit her like a wave and numbed the feeling of Asami’s heart in her hands. Korra hunched against the railing trying to slow her breathing, the cold air burning her throat and lungs as it filled them. Her body broke out in chills, she didn’t need to look up in the sky to know the full moon burning as warm as the sun for her. She took a deep breath and basked in the moonlight warming her better than any of the blankets had. The twitching in her hand slowed but the heart beat stayed. She slowly turned the moonlight hitting her back like warm water, _it wouldn't hurt too badly…_ she leveled her hand and gently felt the heart beat thudding in the bed. _NO!_ Korra broke from her trance and immediately felt horrified. The twitching continued and her cold sweat returned, her whole body yearning for the feeling of a beating heart in her hands _…I can’t do this._

I

Asami rolled over in bed as an icy chill blew into the room, as the sleep drifted away from her mind she realized she was alone. “Korra?” Asami shot up and looked around the room, _she’s probably downstairs…_ quickly she slipped on a pair of slippers and checked the bathroom. Grimacing she noticed a small puddle of puke on the tile, doubt crept over her, she quickly scanned the room for Korra’s glider. _No._

I

Hama mindlessly read the titles to the hundreds of books lining Dr. Ahanu’s bookcases. She’d been cooped up all day in the cottage ever since her escape, she couldn’t decide who would come for her first, The Avatar or the Red Lotus. When the news had been broadcast over the radio in the living room that Chairman Tsusamo had survived she’d nearly fainted. The fact that the Red Lotus had spared her for failing once was unprecedented, She would not be spared a second time. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Akuma her teacher and someone she had considered a friend was the damned Avatar. _She’ll rip me apart, or the Red Lotus will have me assassinated, great job Hama. Great fucking job._ Pushing back tears for the tenth time that day she collapsed into Dr. Ahanu’s sofa letting some of the moonlight hit her as it beamed through the window. She tried to take a deep breath, but with assassination or brutal death at the hands of an Avatar hanging over her head she couldn’t stay calm. Dr. Ahanu had suggested training but when she’d decided not to he’d quickly retired to his room for the night. The cottage while charming in the morning wasn’t the least creepy place to be at in the middle of the night. She wandered into the hallway which was unusually narrow but had a large family portrait on the wall near the door. Hama sighed looking at the portrait, Dr. Ahanu’s wife and daughter with their combustion bender tattoos on full display. _‘Whats a blood bender but an exceptionally gifted water bender?’_ She recalled Dr. Ahanu’s speech he gave her during her first appointment. _Dead women walking, thats what else we are Doctor._

“HAMA!”

Hama’s blood froze and her body contorted painfully against itself, she didn’t have time to scream. Against her will she went flying, crashing against the door with enough force to knock it down. The moonlight hit her as she flew through the air trying to scream. She finally saw who was crushing her alive. Akuma. Avatar Korra. The woman who was going to snap her in two stood tall coated in moonlight in the long grass of Dr. Ahanu’s grass. Hama’s body filled with adrenaline from fear alone, but it did little to block out the pain as her body twisted against itself. Hama screamed as she twisted past her flexibility. 

Korra held her there with her spine ready to snap and slowly walked the distance between them. The euphoria put her on a whole different world, she could barely feel the soft grass beneath her feet or the cold night air. All she felt was the heart pounding in her grasp and the life she was ready to end. 

Hama’s scream died out as her killer got close and looked her in the eyes. “Avatar…Akuma, please.” 

Korra squeezed earning another scream and a pop from Hama’s arm that had contorted at an awkward angle. “There’s nothing you can do, the moment you joined the Red Lotus you were a dead woman.”

Hama’s whole body screamed at her, her mind short circuiting in pain half way between hysteria and thinking. 

“Akuma! That’s enough!” Dr. Ahanu rushed across the lawn in his robe and slippers. “Don’t kill one of your own kind!” 

Hama saw the fire ignite in Korra’s eyes, and realized she was going to die. 

“She’s not my kind.” 

Hama struggled to speak against the grip of the Avatar. “I’m not,” She held back a scream. “their kind either” She could taste the blood filling her mouth. “I’m dead to them…if you let me live…I’ll lead you to them all.”

“Akuma…Korra, think this through, before Hama was an assassin for them she was one of us. With her help you can take down all of the Red Lotus.” Dr. Ahanu pleaded from a safe distance. 

“You don’t know what they did to me!” Korra screamed halfway between ecstasy and rage. 

“So let me help you make them pay.” Hama choked out. 

Korra didn’t let her grip loosen, instead she brought Hama close enough to feel her panicked breathing. “Do you know where they all are?”

Hama tried to look away from her stare boring into her soul. “There’s a training camp, our leader, a man called Koju, visits every so often.” She stifled a scream. “I can find out when he’s visiting next.” 

Korra moved her arms apart pulling Hama’s limbs outwards earning a scream as her arm popped out of its socket. She stood inches away staring into her eyes as she cried. “You’ll find out, You will show me where the camp is. I will kill them all…” Korra took a deep breath and enjoyed the last throbs of the heart in her hands. “And then I’m going to kill you.” With a quick movement of her hands she sent Hama flying backwards, she landed with a thud and rolled. Immediately she started to puke. _And it won’t be gentle._

I


	18. Chapter 18: PAST

Please excuse my absence dear readers, as you know life is nothing short of chaos these days, I promise I'll be posting more often in the future. To get back into the groove so to speak here is three different glimpses into the past of our leading ladies' lives. Hope you enjoy.

I

Korra stood at the bar inside Asami's massive personal airship, she'd made herself an ice cold drink and sipped on it carefully. She'd been Asami's plus one at a hastily arranged fund raiser for Republic city in the Fire Nation. Fire Lord Izumi herself had been there to give a speech intended to woo the richest attendees into donating money to rebuilding the city. The dinner which Korra was nearly forced to attend was not her specialty. Greeting the rich and famous, the world leaders, and up and coming world movers was not something she wanted to do. Though the food had been some of the Fire Nation's finest, the crowd had been a distraction from the woman sitting next to her at the dinner table. She tried to pay attention to some idle chatter from some dignitary as Asami's hand disappeared beneath the table top and rested on her thigh. Korra blushed at the mere memory. _'That's interesting…uh chairman?'_ She remembered responding like a total idiot unable to generate a response to the dignitary's statement. Asami's hand had felt like a hot piece of metal resting on her leg. Korra took a particularly large swig from her glass.

"The captain has taken over, we'll be back in Republic City by morning." Asami called from across the decadent interior of the Air Ship.

Korra's memories of her brain shorting out paled in comparison to the complete and utter shutdown happening now. Asami in a flowing red dress with a plunging neckline walking down the stairs towards her almost made her think she was day dreaming. By the time she snapped out of it, Asami was feet away from her. "Oh…uh good."

"Is it?" Asami raised an eyebrow and took Korra's drink as her own, wrapping lipstick covered lips around the straw and draining the glass.

 _Annnnnnd I'm screwed._ Korra's heart thudded away watching Asami's lips. "Uh…"

Asami smiled. "Not an entirely bad night,"

"No, even my father seemed relaxed." Korra shook herself out of the trance Asami inspired and walked around the bar to make another drink. "Apparently the fundraiser was a success, want a drink?"

Asami herself was in a trance set by Korra's muscular frame underneath the usual water tribe modesty. She bite on her lip imagining what exactly lay underneath the formal dress. "I'll have one of those water tribe cocktails you always make."

"Sure thing," She smiled as Korra began to flow around the bar like only a water bender could. _'What exactly are we?'_ Her mind brought the question back from their trip to the Spirit World. They still hadn't decided the answer to that question. However as Asami watched her make the two drinks, the rock sitting in the middle of her stomach told her everything she needed to know. "Korra…"

She raised an eyebrow and poured the mixed drink from its shaker into two martini glasses. "Asami…" Korra handed her a glass, letting her hand linger on the glass to brush against Asami's hand. Korra had once thought Asami's hands would be smooth and soft, but realized years of working on Sato mobiles and martial arts had left them almost abrasive. The feeling of Asami's hand on her thigh shot through her mind again earning a slow burning blush on her face.

Asami took a sip hoping that her face wasn't as warm as it felt. The drink was heavy with lemon and honey and the burn of alcohol was barely present. "You're great at making these,"

Korra took a sip trying to clear her mind. "Thanks…" _Just do it…you both know its okay._ "You were saying?"

Asami blinked and tried to remember. "Oh, just…nevermind."

"Have you thought about what we talked about?"

Asami swallowed hard. "Yes…"

Korra's breath caught in her throat for a moment. "…And what do you think?" Before she knew what was happening Asami's soft lips were pressed against hers. While the Avatar couldn't bend lightning, she had imagined this is what it felt like. She leaned over the bar and pressed her lips back against Asami's. Their kisses became feverish, each pair of lips fighting for dominance and both loosing. Korra was the first to break their lips apart, her breathing coming in hot and heavy gasps. She met Asami's eyes and leapt over the bar knocking their glasses over in the process. Korra wrapped her arms around Asami and continued where they left off.

Asami was the first to moan as Korra's lips worked their way down her neck. "You know…" Her whole body broke out in chills as Korra's teeth nipped the side of her neck. "This airship has a master bedroom…"

Korra kissed Asami's throat slowly working back up to her lips. "Show me."

Asami snickered and leaned against Korra's solid shoulders before swinging her legs up and wrapping them around her waist. "That way…" She nodded before letting herself disappear into Korra's lips again.

Korra's hands roamed where they pleased as she held Asami to her, breaking their lips for a brief moment she couldn't help but ask. "So what does this make us?"

Asami held a long lingering kiss. "At the very least? Lovers."

I

Twenty years ago.

 _FINE. FUCK IT. FUCK YOU TENZIN! BE HAPPY WITH Pemi? Pemai? WITH THAT BITCH!_ Lin stormed away from the reception with a full bottle of whisky she'd stolen from the bar. She'd suffered through the ceremony long enough to deserve a drink. What she couldn't bring herself to suffer through was the reception dinner. The food and drink were fine, the look Tenzin and his wife kept giving each other made her want to puke. What made her even more furious was that the rumors were true, Pema was already showing in her Air Nomad wedding robes. Her armored feet clanked angrily against the cobble stone path she stormed down, the light of the party fading fast replaced by a waining moon. Lin swiped her armor against the cork wedged in the bottle sending it flying and took a swig. It burned badly but she gulped the mouthful down hoping it would dull the stabbing pain in her heart. _Fuck them!_ She breathed in cold air causing her mouth to burn with the after taste of the whisky. She wandered down the path her anger not dissipating in the slightest. Before the burning in her mouth disappeared she took another swig and came to a clearing at the end of the path.

She stomped once bringing up a pillar of earth for her to sit on. Stomping again she made a backrest for it as well. With an unceremonious thud she collapsed into her new seat and took another swig. _Fine. Why do I care? Fuck off and marry her._ She swallowed and immediately filled her mouth again. _Fuck off and have kids!_ Lin practically shook with anger. _FUCK OFF AND HAVE A FAMILY!_ The last gulp of whisky burned its way down her throat as tears stung her eyes. What was really bothering her is not that Tenzin was happy or that Pema was pregnant, it was that it could've been her wedding that night instead. Lin wanted to throat punch the very thought but couldn't keep the picture of her in the wedding gown instead of Pema. She tried to take another swig but instead she felt tears running down her cheeks. _I'm not allowed to be happy am I?_

"Lin?"

She froze. _Fuck_. "Go away Kya." She hastily tried to clear the tears from her face.

Kya rolled her eyes and walked up behind Lin's earth chair. "I'm not going to let you drink your self to death…alone." Kya leaned over and snatched the bottle away and took a swig for herself.

Lin hoped the darkness would conceal the tears she couldn't stop. "Fine. Sit." With an uppercut of her fist she elongated the chair. Kya made a noise as the whiskey burned its way down her throat. "I don't understand why you drink this shit." _Annnnd now to make it look like I'm not sitting close on purpose…_ She flopped down nearly colliding with Lin's armored side.

"Keep drinking it and you'll find out." Lin snatched the bottle away and made up for lost time.

"It won't help your brooding, I know that much."

"I'm not brooding…I'm fucking pissed." Lin grimaced.

"Why?"

"Fuck off, you know why." Lin took a swig.

"Of course I know why, but do you?" Kya grabbed the bottle.

Lin sighed and held back tears. "Fine. I'm pissed because…for a while, I actually loved him." She failed and tears burned down her cheeks again. "And for a while, I thought we'd end up happy together…"

Kya wrapped a consoling arm around her long time friend. "It's okay…" Slowly but surely Lin began to shake with sobs. "Lin, it'll be okay,"

Lin stifled the sobs, imagining for a brief moment her mother yelling at her to stop crying _'Like a lily livered baby!'_ She brushed away the tears and took another swig. "…He was the only one you know?"

Kya's heart dropped. "Only one of?"

"Only one who's ever shown any interest. Ever." Lin took a swig. "I know I'm a bitch sometimes…well more than sometimes. But still, when he asked me on a date I was…thrilled."

"Lin," Kya had known her since they'd been kids but this was news to even her. "You haven't been on any dates besides with my brother?"

Lin took a swig which made her cough. "Depressing, I know."

"That needs to be fixed." Kya said already imagining taking Lin out on the town.

Lin sneered. "Yeah, well I'm almost thirty, so maybe in another twenty years someone will actually want to date me."

"Oh please, you're a detective Lin, there must've been tons of people who were interested." Kya remembered her incredibly subtle hints when they had been teens, hoping she'd catch on but too scared to be obvious about it.

"Nope. No one." Lin took a swig and offered the bottle to Kya.

"Maybe you aren't as good of a detective as you think." Kya took a swig hoping the booze would give her the courage she lacked.

"I'm a fucking brilliant detective…I just suck at everything else." Lin's armored shoulders dropped. "I can bring down serial killers and bank robbers, but I can't even get a date."

 _Okay, just be subtle and work into it. Subtle…subtle._ "You're just depressed now Lin," She rubbed her hand against Lin's shoulder. "There's loads of people who'd go out with the bad ass Lin Beifong."

Lin swigged in response. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"You probably haven't been looking hard enough…" She snatched the bottle and took a large swig. _Wow this whiskey is not working_.

"I'm not really looking to be honest…I don't fucking know, is it too much to ask for someone to just ask? Why should I chase someone down." Lin took the bottle back.

"…Is that all you're waiting for, someone to ask you?" Kya's heart pounded and suddenly the whiskey decided to kick in.

"If someone asked me, why wouldn't I say yes? Not like I've got much to lose." Lin leaned back and took a swig from the slowly dying bottle.

"Want to?" _THAT WASN'T SUTBLE AT ALL!_

Lin raised an eyebrow. "Want to what?"

 _Fuck…too late to back down now_. "Go on a date…"

"…What with you?" Lin wasn't a stranger to the concept but had never considered it.

Kya took a swig as the silence dragged on and prepared for the inevitable rejection. "Its…okay if you don't want to,"

Lin looked at her long time friend. "I don't see why not."

Kya raised an eyebrow. "The most Lin answer of all time."

"…Well how else am I supposed to answer?" Lin asked confused as to why her heart had sped up.

Kya's head was swimming now, _fuck it_. Kya moved quickly and straddled Lin steadying her self by grabbing Lin's armor. "Kissing me would be a good start."

Lin blushed. "Kya…I think you've had too much to drink."

"Shut up." Kya leaned in and closed Lin's lips with hers, she'd imagined kissing her for years and it was finally a reality.

Lin immediately tensed in shock, but instead of panic her mind went blank and her shoulders dropped, for a second she could taste Kya's lips, and in another they'd broken apart. "Oh…"

Kya's drunken bravado froze. "'Oh'? I'm sorry…I shouldn't have, that was way to soon."

Lin shrugged and pulled Kya close enough to return to her lips. Immediately her mind went blank again and she let herself fall into the feeling of Kya's lips on hers. The whiskey emboldened them both, Lin pushing past the fear and panic, Kya letting herself enjoy the moment without overanalyzing it.

Kya had begun with a chaste pecking on the lips but they both devolved into a hungry drunken ravenous dance between mouths. She broke to catch her breath. "I should've asked years ago…"

Lin raised an eyebrow, while she'd never even considered it, the desire bubbling up in her chest made her wish she had. Lin moved her hands from Kya's shoulders down to her waist. "We should make up for lost time…"

Kya looked around and shivered in the cold night air. "What, here?"

Lin laughed and blushed at the same time. "I'm afraid I'm not that wild."

"Good because its freezing…I think my old room is still empty." Kya smiled.

"After you then." Lin grinned as Kya hopped off of her and led her by the hand down the path towards the female barracks. She held her close as the breeze picked up and chilled them both. Lin thought for a moment and dropped Kya's hand before bending back one side of her armor and pulling Kya against her. She wasn't sure anymore whether it was the whiskey that was making her giddy or not, but the anger and sadness from earlier had long since gone. And it wasn't the whiskey that made it go away.

I

Korra rolled over in the massive bed that Asami and her had destroyed, they lay in a tangle of sheets where they'd collapsed out of exhaustion. She took a deep breath and could smell the mixture of sweat hanging in the air. She bit her lip remembering how loud she'd moaned, Asami was always surprising her, but this time she'd blew her mind. She tried to drift back to sleep but the steady drone of the airship's engines and Asami passed out on her arm made it impossible. _Careful…_ She slowly pulled her arm out from beneath the naked Asami, only causing her to roll over in her sleep. She sighed in relief and slowly untangled herself from the sheets which were still soaked in sweat from their ravenous antics. Her bare feet touched the carpet, her face immediately turned red as she felt her legs shake. She took a few uncertain steps and grabbed her robe as she wrapped it around her she realized how cold the room had been. Korra shivered while she pulled on a pair of slippers embossed with the Future Industries logo. The soft fur lining reminded of her of her usual boots as she walked quietly into the hall. Leaving the door ajar she strolled down the corridor with only the humming of the engines making noise.

The hallway was just as lavish as the rest of the airship, wood paneling with intricate designs and a gold patterned carpet lined her path. She wasn't headed any place particular, but she'd just made love to her long time friend, giving her mind miles to wander. _Asami Sato…you keep surprising me_. She rubbed her neck feeling numerous teeth shaped bruises from the very same, she couldn't decide if she was insane for enjoying Asami's company or completely sane. Asami had given her so much in friendship and now she'd given her even more. Pleasure of course but beyond that, she felt safe for the first time in years wrapped in her arms. The constant tensing in her shoulders waiting for something terrible to happen, the fear, the pain, all of it disappeared. Anyone who gave her that, in any shape or form, she decided she was completely sane in wanting. She tensed for a moment when her mind brought her parents into the picture. _Dad'll understand…right? He understands me being the Avatar…he'll understand this, won't he?_ She sighed inwardly and decided it was best to cross that bridge if it came to it. She crossed from the hallway into the expansive main hall where the lovers' antics had began.

The carpet from the hallway followed a large staircase down to an insanely long table. The table was flanked by a bar and large windows looking down on earth passing quickly underneath. As she wandered down the hall thoughts whirred in her head as to what her new found love would bring. _The press can barely handle me changing my haircut for flameo sake…Mako would probably have a seizure. Tenzin…doesn't really need to know_. The thoughts bouncing around her head all screamed the same thing, _I'll have to keep this secret._ She frowned, just the thought of Asami made her heart leap…and she would be forced to keep that hidden from everyone she knew. The frown stayed, _I've done worse than keep secrets, it'll be awful…but she's worth it._

"Korra?" A sleepy Asami called from the top of the staircase.

"Hey…" Korra smiled at the flutter in her heart, Asami had thrown on a robe and not much else. The tail of the robe dragged on the stairs as she made her way down.

"Are you okay?"

 _Never better…_ "I've…I was just thinking."

"About?" Asami knew what she felt for Korra, but she wasn't sure as to what Korra felt for her.

Korra let Asami close the distance before answering. "Us,"

"And what have you thought about 'Us'?" She joined Korra as she looked out the window, the scenery was uninspiring but still beautiful. They were over the badlands of the Earth Kingdom heading fast for Republic City, mountainous but barren terrain sped below them in the dark. Asami braced herself, though she was pleased to hear Korra refer to them as an 'Us'.

"I…don't know what to call us, if there is an 'us' Asami…but whatever it is. I love it. You make it bearable, every time I see you…I'm happy, really happy for the first time in a long, long time."

Asami nuzzled into Korra's neck. "Me too."

"Good…" Korra turned and took Asami's chin in her hand leading it to her lips to hers and falling into a long kiss. Immediately her mind went blank and all the stress disappeared with it. She had to make a mental effort to break her lips from Asami's. "Sooo, we're an 'us' now?"

Asami smiled. "We're an us."

I

Two years ago.

"INCOMING!" Ren dove for cover as a massive boulder careened over their heads, it crashed into the ceiling of the airship's hangar showering them all with debris. Well, it's a hot LZ, we know that. The butterflies exploded in her stomach. She'd been given command of the squad, her former boss had taken a molten ball of earth to the head. She'd gotten word three hours before the operation with very little time to brief her new squad. Ren looked down the line, the four members of her squad stood strong. Thanks to the face paint their expressions were hard to read, however the newest member, Yukio, wore an easily read expression. _Is she crying?_ Ren suppressed the instinct to lash out and scold her for crying. She had to admit as the exterior of the Warship continued to be riddled with incoming boulders, even her jaded emotions came out. She flinched as the sirens went off telling them to prep for their jump.

She could see the tears dripping off Yukio's chin now. _Fuck, if she goes in like that she won't make it five feet._ Ren clocked the jump master who was busy watching the landing zone. In an instant she unclipped herself from her jump cable and carefully made her way to Yukio. The warship lurched this way and that dodging the few boulders it could. As the ship lurched she lunged towards Yukio, who was clinging to her cable for dear life. "You okay?" She screamed over the noise of the ship and the battle, she watched as Yukio wiped the tears away and nodded which didn't convince Ren of anything. _Fuck…fuck fuck fuck. Your first op as squad leader and your newbie dies…SHIT. What would Sergeant Mai say…_ She chewed on her lip and looked Yukio dead in the eyes. "I'm going to bring you home! Just do your best, I'll look out for you!"

Yukio's wide eyes looked from side to side as she considered what her boss had yelled. "Roger Sergeant!"

Ren sighed and nodded immediately rushing for her own cable. _Please please please just take that to heart._ She looked down the line again and saw her squad of deadly Kyoshi, even with tear stained war paint Yukio looked like a warrior. _Okay…here goes nothing_. The light turned green and the squad opposite them in the hangar rushed towards the open bay doors. Ren took a deep breath and broke into a run bringing her cable with her knowing, not hoping, that her squad was hot on her heels. _LET'S DO THIS!_ The floor fell away and she went weightless as she fell fast towards the earth, towards her mission, towards the enemy, towards war.

I

That's all for this week, hopefully I will get my life together enough to post again next friday. As always, please review and don't forget to water your plants.


	19. PRESENT

Korra coasted her glider towards the estate, with a feeling of dread sinking deeper into her stomach. She'd left Hama puking on the grass after blood bending her enough to get the shaking to stop. It was all she could do not to kill Hama on sight, Korra had grown to like her during their training together, her turning out to be a Red Lotus Assassin made her blood boil. Not just any assassin but the assassin that killed President Raiko and sent her down the path to Bloodbending, Hama knew she was lucky to be breathing. Korra tried to enjoy the last bits of euphoria that had kept the cold night at bay. _Asami, I'm so sorry, I didn't want to hurt you so I blood bent someone…_ Even in Korra's head she couldn't see it going well. The sun was just beginning to peak above the mountains, the moon leaving her out in the cold morning as she banked towards the estate. She gritted her teeth as her room and balcony came closer. Korra kicked her legs out of the glider and collapsed it in one fluid movement, her feet coming down on the railing of the balcony. She took a deep breath and carefully opened the balcony doors. "Asami?" Korra peaked her head into her room and breathed a sigh of relief, Asami was sound asleep. _Maybe I didn't wake her…_  
"It's about time you came back…"

Korra froze as Asami rolled over in her bed, _shit_. "I…uh."

"Korra, whatever comes out of your mouth next better be the truth because I am so done right now." Asami was speaking calmly but tears brimmed her eyes.

Korra's shoulders dropped, the euphoria had gone and the moon had long since deserted her. I don't even know where to begin. "Asami, I tried to stop last night, I couldn't, it was too strong…I kept feeling your heart beat." Korra tried to keep her composure and failed. "I couldn't do it, I couldn't let myself hurt you, and I couldn't stop myself from blood bending."

Asami was crying silently but she kept her eyes away from Korra. "So what did you do?"

 _And this is where she runs for the door._ "Asami, I love you, I really do. But I couldn't stop it, so I went to Dr. Ahanu's…"

 _'I have no doubt she'll overcome' Lying bastard_. "He's not helping you is he?"

"Asami…"

"Just tell me the truth." The fire behind her words earned a nod from Korra.

"He's…my trainer. Please don't freak out?" Korra wiped the tears off her face.

"I won't if you tell me the truth."

"A few of his other patients are Blood benders…we train together—"

"And are they as bad as you are?" Asami interrupted.

Korra stopped to think about the others in the group, her blood instantly went cold. "No…they aren't."

"I trusted him to help you!" Asami held her rage. "Keep going, tell me everything."

 _I can't_. "I blood bent one of them enough to stop the craving and came back."

"Craving?"

"I-I don't know what else to call it," Korra played nervously with her hands. "My hand shakes when I need it, eventually it got worse and I threw up."

"You have to stop Korra, it could kill you," Asami pleaded moving beside her and grabbing her hand. "You need to stop."

"I…can't."

"Korra…" Asami didn't know what to say to someone she'd seen be so strong and determined. "You're the strongest person I've ever met, I don't think there is anything you can't do. You can stop."

"I'm not so sure anymore…it felt so bad when I tried to, it was like my body wanted to shut down." Korra held her chest waiting for her heart to hurt.

"You can get through it,"

"What if I can't?" Korra asked burying her face in her hands.

"Then we'll find a way Korra." She held onto her like she was going away forever.

I

Ren stood ready in the dojo, she'd had it with down time, it was time to fight again. She'd wrapped her ribs tightly and hoped the Kaminari suit would help absorb anything she failed to block. She raised an eyebrow as six Kyoshi joined her on the training mat. "If you're going to try and go easy on me I'll break as many of your bones as I can before they pull me off you all!" She taunted causing the six Kyoshi to glance between each other. _Oh for fuck sake_. Ren screamed like a demon and charged, ready or not they were going to fight. She had asked for veterans not trainees from other squads, she didn't know who they were beneath the white sparing gear they wore. She closed the distance with her feet pounding on the wicker mats and hit the leading Kyoshi like a cannon ball driving both knees into her chest. The sparing partners had arranged themselves in a flying V but she'd just speared the leading Kyoshi. Ren rolled back onto her feet before the lead Kyoshi had even hit the mats with a thud. Not giving her attackers a chance to think she quickly kicked her foot flat into the back of the fifth Kyoshi. A smile cracked on her face as the fifth Kyoshi hit the mat on her knees hard. _DUCK!_

Ren dropped and instinctively kicked out turning to look as a leg rocketed by her face and the fourth Kyoshi jumped over her blow. Ren rolled backwards onto her feet dodging a fist from the third Kyoshi, in an instant she ducked and drove her own fist into the armpit of number three earning a yelp. She followed that with a kick to the back of the legs sending number three sprawling backwards. The fifth Kyoshi charged, Ren jumped out of the way of a spin kick from number four and snatched her leg. With a tendon snapping yank she threw number four into number five. Her ribs exploded with pain as a swift and sturdy kick from the number two Kyoshi sent her sideways into a blow straight to the jaw from number one. Ren pushed back the stars in her vision and drove a fist into the side of number one following up with a kick to the groin. She threw herself backwards into a cartwheel to dodge a kick from number two, coming out of the cartwheel she drove a knee down on number three's head. On her knees she leaned back out of the reach of a kick from number two. In a split second she leaned back forwards wrapping her arms around the balance leg of number two and shot upwards. As her momentum changed she slammed number two down on the mats feeling something pop in her leg. Number one had shaken off Ren's cheap shot and launched a barrage of punches. She watched number five out of the corner of her eye throw number four off of her and rejoin the fight. The corner of her eye also caught someone enter the dojo.

Taking her eyes off her attackers for a second to confirm what her mind suggested. _Mako?_ Instantly she screamed in pain as number one kicked her in the ribs, Ren grimaced as she hit the mat trying to stay conscious. _IDIOT!_ She recoiled backwards barely dodging a swift kick from number five, she launched a fist into the side of five's knee spinning her off balance. Ren was back on her feet ribs burning in pain as number one grinned. _Oh now you've fucked up_. Ren faked a punch high and ducked low as number one's block went up, driving a fist hard into the stomach of number one. Ren knocked her off her feet and left her gasping for air on the mat before turning to number five. Ren's infinite supply of adrenaline was dwindling and her ribs still screamed. _Time to be done._ She waited for number five to make her move, a punch aimed at her throat. Ren blocked it and in one swift movement grabbed it and dropped her feet out from underneath her. Before number five knew what had happened Ren was bending her arm backwards on the floor. Annnnnd Ren let go as soon as the arm snapped backwards and an ear ringing scream echoed in the dojo. Taking a moment to catch her breath Ren laid on the floor cursing herself for making such a stupid mistake. _Mistakes like that is why you can't ever bring everyone back!_ She stood and looked over the floor of injured Kyoshi towards Mako, she wanted to scream at her heart for fluttering. Instead her ribs screamed at her. She'd have to yell at herself some other time, right now she needed a hot shower. _Is it too much to ask for him to let me ignore him?_ She thought as she walked across the dojo trying hard not to let her pain show.

"Did you really have to break her arm?" Mako asked forgetting he had shown up on business.

Ren's shoulders tensed. "She made a mistake, my instructors would have done the same to me if I made one." She realized she couldn't ignore him. "I'm really not in the mood Mako, what do you need?"

"I'm here to ask for any intel recovered from the Red Lotus safe house," Mako answered. "annnd to yell at you for sparing already, you need to recover."

Ren rolled her eyes to conceal a smile, he'd been the only one to object to her return to duty. "I'm fine." She lied still stifling pain from her ribs. "How did you know about the safe house?"

"Lin brought it to my attention after the candidates were assassinated." Mako replied noticing how well she covered up being in pain.

Damn it Lin. She sighed causing a sharp pain in her ribs. "Our team are breaching it," She glanced at her watch. "Now actually, they'll bring any evidence back for analysis."

"Breaching…in the middle of the city?" Mako hoped he misunderstood.

"Orders came down from higher, way higher, that the Red Lotus are officially wanted dead by the Kyoshi. We're going after them with everything we've got now."

"You can't just go to war with them! Especially in the middle of the city!" Mako pleaded.

"Look, you know we're protected by red tape, you know the Red Lotus are better dead than alive, and you know we're going to get it done." Ren had had enough of stifling the pain in her ribs. "Look just wait in my office, I need a shower." And some ice.

I

Kya had been following the glow eyed fox for what seemed like ages down the endless halls and stairs of Wan Shi Tong's Library. While she knew a little about blood bending from her mother, and personal experience, the topic was still largely taboo across the world. She'd begun hours ago searching for anything related to Blood Bending. I really hope you keep your end of the bargain Lin, I'll be damned if I spend all this time looking for help if she's already too far gone. Mindlessly she followed the fox and thought back to Lin's departure from the spirit world, it had been like they were a new couple again. Each saying their goodbyes and each lingering on their last kiss that never ended up being their last. Lin had been full of surprises in the past months but she was still awestruck at Lin's willingness to drop everything and live in the Spirit world. She bit her lip not wishing to jinx the idea, she snapped out of her day dream as she collided with the fox which had stopped abruptly. She waited for it pick a book, instead it looked at her and whined. "What are you looking at me for? It's your library."

She raised an eyebrow at the fox who reared up on his hind legs and leaned against the book case pointing his nose at the top shelf. Kya sighed, _for fuck sake,_ she glanced around for a ladder but didn't see one on either side of the massive hallway of books. _Fine_. Cautiously she stuck her foot in an empty space on a low shelf and slowly climbed. The bookshelf creaked after millennia of supporting only books. "I don't suppose you can tell me what I'm looking for?" She asked not expecting an answer, she reached the top shelf. "Oh." She'd been expecting the top shelf to be as full as the ones below it instead it had only one leather bound, incredibly dusty, book. She deftly hopped down off the shelf and dusted off the book. "I think Mr. Fox you've lead me on a wild turtle duck chase." Kya unclasped the cover of the book an opened it to the front page. Beneath the water tribe symbol crudely drawn in ink she read a short inscription. "The personal journal of Hama, last water bender of the Southern Water Tribe." She looked down wide eyed at the fox who sat patently wagging its tail. "Good boy."

I

Ren walked with her hair still wet from her annoyingly quick shower towards her office. She was already furious, the medic had been packed full of her training victims as a result they only offered her bandages. _Might have a few pain pills in the desk somewhere…_ She clenched her hand around the roll of compression bandage and tried to relax. She had almost succeeded till she rounded the corner and saw Mako waiting out in front of her office. Ren sighed as that feeling in her chest returned, _We're going to war, you need to_ _FOCUS!_

"You're still injured aren't you?" Mako asked, he could see the pain in her walk from a mile away.

"Don't worry about it." Ren opened her office door and waited for Mako to close it. She immediately dropped the bandages on the desk and began to riffle through it for pain pills. _Thank fuck_. Ren snatched the bottle of pain pills from beside the bottle of whiskey. "Look, I'm waiting on the report from our breachers myself. You're welcome to wait but I'll need to look through it first to see what we can disclose to the police." Her teeth crunched down on a pain pill.

"Legally you should disclose everything for an operation inside RCPD's jurisdiction." Mako corrected not bothering to sit in the chair across from her desk.

Ren rolled her neck. "I'll have to look through it first to see what we can disclose to the police." She looked at him with one eyebrow raised and waited for the pain pill to kick in.

Mako started to say something but decided to hold his tongue. _Fine, I'll just continue to go fuck myself._

Looking down at the bandages and back up at the fuming Mako a lightbulb went off in her head. It made the feeling in her chest return but even her inner warrior laughed. She turned away from him and watched his reflection in the case of Kyoshi armor as she reached for the top button of her uniform jacket. Mako's anger fizzled as she dropped her the uniform jacket on her desk and began working on the shirt.

"Uh…what are you doing?"

"Putting on a bandage." She played innocent. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

Mako began to speak but stopped when she sat topless on her desk and slowly began wrapping the bandage around her ribs. _I don't think I'll disclose this to the rest of the department…_

"Mind helping me?"

"Yep." Mako immediately walked across the room and began to wrap the gauze around her, his cold hand against her naked back. He passed the roll of compression bandage around to her front but didn't move his hand.

"So how are things at the station?" Ren asked smiling as she passed the roll around her back and felt Mako's hand adjust to hold the next length of bandage.

Mako was busy looking at her muscles flexing in her back as his hand traced the dip where her spine was. "Uh…busy, super busy." It was insanely busy. The city was in a panic because of the assassinations which had thrown Mako's job into a 24/7 ordeal. Thankfully Chief Barzoon had made working with the Kyoshi a priority.

Ren leaned her head back as Mako's lips carefully touched down on her neck. "Shame…" The pair jumped out of their skins as knuckles slammed on the door to Ren's office. _SHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT._ She threw on her shirt and did the buttons faster than she could think. "Just a moment." Ren turned around as she fastened her dress uniform jacket back into place. "Sit down!" She yelled in a whisper. Smoothing her jacket and clearing her throat she called out to the knuckles knocking on her door. "ENTER."

Lin walked in and immediately knew what was up, Ren's usually immaculate uniform was wrinkled and Mako was looking around the room at everything but her. "Morning you two, didn't expect to see you here Mako."

"Hey Chief, I'm the department's liaison with the Kyoshi's efforts against the Red Lotus." Mako said still trying to concentrate on something other than the taste of Ren's skin on his lips.

 _Ah to be young again_. Lin rolled her eyes. "Cozy. I'm just here to see how our mission is going?"

"'Our mission?'" Mako asked.

"She's contracted us to locate the Red Lotus." Ren said beginning to sort through the files on her desk hoping that Lin didn't suspect anything. "I'm waiting on the report from our breachers, I can let you know what we find."

"Oh fine, I don't see you sorting through what you can disclose for her." Mako glared.

"She's a civilian Mako, no government affiliation and not obligated to prosecute the KWG's actions." Ren chided as the pain killer started to kick in and the pain in her ribs died down.

Lin looked down at the badge still affixed to the breast plate of her armor and frowned, she quickly pulled it free and stowed in a pouch on her hip. "As civilian as I'll ever be," Lin walked to the chair next to Mako and sat down. "How's Barzoon doing?"

Mako pushed away the thoughts of what would've happened if Lin hadn't shown up. "Oh, uh…he's no Beifong that's for sure. But he's not doing too bad considering three out of the four candidates have been assassinated." Mako tapped his foot as an awkward silence fell over the room. "…So, how's Korra doing?"

Lin's shoulders dropped. "Not good, she's been blood bending more and more."

"You mean she's gotten worse?" Ren asked incredulous.

"Wait, you know she's a blood bender?" Mako asked equally surprised as angry.

"That's news to me too." Lin raised an eyebrow. "Did Korra hire you?"

"Any work we do for the Avatar is free…so hire—" Ren's mind immediately brought back images of the Avatar nearly twisting the Red Lotus members in half. "is the wrong word…"

"Did she kill anyone?" Mako asked hoping he was wrong.

Ren heard the crack of spines against the cliff wall and sighed. "Operation 239," She opened her whiskey drawer and pulled out a file. She didn't need to open it to remember the official enemy body count, most everything else was covered in black ink. "Five enemy KIA, by regulation I can't tell you who those kills belong to…but I didn't even draw my swords."

 _How many has she killed?_ Lin wondered. "Look…if she kills the Red Lotus I'm not complaining. Her best bet in my mind is to destroy the Red Lotus, she'll get all the rage out of her system."

"Are you serious? This is Korra we're talking about! She's not a murderer!" Mako wanted to scream but kept it professional with his former boss.

"Mako, I'm a murderer." Ren looked at him dead in the eyes.

"Oh come on, that's not even close you've only killed in combat."

"Doesn't make a difference in my mind." Ren shrugged. "If she rage was her only problem, she could've used any element to kill the bastards."

Lin thought back to Korra's outburst saying that she was fine. "Okay so let's say she does have a serious problem…how do you go about stopping the Avatar?"

I

Korra sat on the grass of the estate, the sun was blazing down from the middle of the sky but she could barley stop herself from shivering. Blood bending Hama the night before wasn't enough, the craving for a pounding pulse in her hand sat like a brick in her stomach. She kept hold of her hand as they braced her knees against her chest. _'We'll find a way Korra'_ Asami sounded so confident to her, if only she could show her what she felt. _It all started out so simple, I can use blood bending to destroy the Red Lotus…and now…_

"Brought you some tea…" Asami approached over the lawn her heart dropped seeing Korra like this. She sat down next to Korra careful not to spill the tea.

Korra accepted the cup painfully aware of the subtle tremors running through her hand to the cup. "Thanks." The hot tea nearly burned her tongue but distracted her from the brick in her stomach and slowly began to clear her head. Asami wrapped her arm around her back, it felt like a heater across her back.

"Are you cold?" _Because you feel like ice right now._

"No…" A shiver betrayed her.

"Korra, you don't have to hide anything from me."

Korra was out of tears, she spoke so quietly she could barely hear herself. "I have to."

"You don't…I love you Korra."

"I love you too." Korra sipped at the tea, the cup continued to shake. _I really have become a monster._ "Asami…I need to leave."

"Korra, don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not, I need to get away from you," She sipped the last of the tea and held the cup trying hard to keep it still. "I promised you I'd never hurt you, and I need to make sure I can't." Korra thought back to the previous night where Asami's heart slept away in her hands.

"No. Korra, you're not going anywhere, you won't hurt me." Asami explained calmly and kept the embrace she had on Korra. Korra shrugged off Asami's arm.

"You don't understand…I don't think I can stop this anymore…"

Asami sighed. "Yes you can Korra, you just have to take it one day at a time, trust me. I'll help you."

"…I can't risk hurting you." Korra replied.

"You won't." Asami said.

Korra's hand shook.

I

Ren flipped through the initial report Eri had brought her, she looked at Mako and Lin over the top of the file. "Ok, so the intel we've gathered so far from the safe house suggests there is a Red Lotus training camp in the mountains to the north west." She watched as Mako pulled out a note pad and gave him a look. "This is not for the police to know about."

"The mountains are within our jurisdiction." Mako explained.

"If you tell Barzoon he'll go in with the whole department as soon as he can." Lin countered.

"The Kyoshi are much better equipped and train for this sort of thing."

"She's right,"

Ren put the file on her desk. "Before the day's out we'll have high altitude photos from one of our warships. Before the weeks out we'll be ready to strike." Ren smiled.

"We want them alive remember." Mako was growing frustrated.

"What's this 'we' shit?" Lin asked rolling her eyes.

"They're terrorists at the very least. Kill every last one of them."

Ren nodded. "So, do we tell the Avatar?"

Mako didn't know whether to shake his his head or shrug. "On one hand, I don't think she'd want to be left out of something this big."

"And on the other…she'll definitely kill everyone." Lin offered.

"For fuck sake, She's our friend Lin! Not some weapon!" Mako raised his voice higher than he would of if Lin was still his boss.

"From what the intel suggests it's a massive compound, backed up against a mountain, could have a tunnel network…anti air defenses." Ren scratched her head. "They've got the high ground and we don't know what they've got to play with."

"What are you saying?" Mako looked at her still pissed.

Ren leaned back in her chair. "We'll need two things, more intel, and the Avatar."

I

_As I grow old, I grow weaker, each full moon brings me strength but it is not enough anymore. I used to be able to snap full grown men in half with a mere flick of my wrists…now I can barely manage to control the rats that skitter across my cell floor. I am old. I am tired. But I am not dead. Each day in this prison cell makes my blood boil. Back when I ran my Inn, I met all sorts of folk on their way through the Fire Nation. I had professor once who went on and on and on over diner about his quest. He was headed towards the coast to observe the tide levels during something he called a 'Water bender's moon'. Keeping my cover and my excitement I asked him what on earth he meant. He explained how in a few weeks time the moon would be both full and closer in position to the earth. He reasoned the Water benders would benefit most, but he had only wanted to study the increased tide levels. I still remember the sound his neck made when I turned it backwards. While my memory is fading, I am almost certain that the day is coming once again. A Water Bender's moon is exactly what I need, with the power I once had as a girl back in my hands. I. Will. Escape._

"Well, she was clearly insane." Kya looked down at the glow eyed fox that laid across her feet. _But I do remember that day…a phone call in the middle of the night, mom talking loudly in the hall_. Kya scratched her head, she'd been told the story of Old Lady Hama as a child. When Kya had asked her mother what the phone call was about, she'd told her that Old Lady Hama, the boogieman of the Water Tribe, had died. Over the years she'd learned more details but the journal she read from put it all into perspective. She'd died from blood bending. _And now the 'great bridge between the spirits and humans' is a blood bender…and she might just kill herself because of it._ Kya sighed and tossed the book back onto a shelf not really caring, she strolled out of the book cases with a purpose. She had to get a message out to Lin, Jinora, or even Tenzin. Someone on the human side of the world had to get Korra to stop, if they didn't she'd soon suffer the same fate as Old Lady Hama. Kya sighed as she navigated the many book case lined halls. Getting a message out wouldn't be easy, it was a miracle that Jinora had even found her. She knew she had to try, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it was already too late.

I

Hama snored on the couch in Dr. Ahanu's library, she'd reached out to her contact in the Red Lotus training camp earlier in the morning. As a fugitive on the run from her own organization and the police there was not much else to do but rest. Rest and wait for either the Avatar or the Red Lotus to kill her. She had her money on the Avatar, she'd never seen such a powerful being so unhinged. The door creaked open and she rolled over on the couch ignoring Dr. Ahanu's footsteps. _…Heavy steps for such and old man._ Immediately she realized her mistake, but it was too late a length of rope coiled around her neck and tightened. She tried to scream but her throat was shut.

"This is for your failure."

She was already seeing stars as the gruff voice behind her spoke into her ear. _NO!_ She fought and flailed around like a dying animal. Her hand brushed up against the light on the night stand. In an instant she grabbed it and drove it down on the head behind hers. She gasped for air as the Red Lotus assassin stumbled backwards. Her voice was hoarse as she struggled to scream out the words. "WAIT!" She turned to face her attacked as he tackled her and tried to wrap his hands around her throat. "I can give you the Avatar!" She felt the hands close around her throat and hesitate.

"What?"

Hama's heart pounded in her throat. "The Avatar, she wants me to bring her to Camp Laghima, when Master Koju is there…She's planning on destroying us all."

"You expect me to believe you?" The masked Assassin asked. "If you don't the Avatar will find us, and she will destroy us." Hama could feel his grip loosening. "If you do, the Red Lotus can finish what the Holy Ones started…and kill the Avatar."

"Whats to guarantee that you'll bring the Avatar?" Not removing his hands from her throat he asked.

"The only reason I'm alive is because the Avatar wants me to take her to the camp. That's it, go to your superiors and ask for when Master Koju is going to visit. I'll bring the Avatar, you'll just have to tell them to be ready." Through the mask Hama could see the gears spinning in the Assassin's head.

"A full training camp versus one Avatar, that could work." The Assassin removed his hands from her neck but stayed alert still pinning her to the floor.

"Do not underestimate her, she's a blood bender now…one of the most powerful I've ever seen." _And she won't go down without a fight._

"Blood bender or not, she won't stand a chance…I'll bring the intel to my superiors immediately. Consider your life spared."

Hama almost rolled her eyes before the Assassin grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head against the ground. Before she could scream in pain stars and darkness filled her vision and she fell unconscious.

I

Ren knocked on the massive main door to the Sato estate, she'd ridden her satocycle from downtown to clear her head and to bring the Avatar the intel collected from the safe house. The brought her screaming mind peace for once, the curved roads with nothing but the roar of her satocycle and the view through her helmet. Even the thoughts of Mako had stayed at bay. _'Warriors aren't wives'_ an old memory of one of her trainers yelling at her resurfaced causing her to frown. The door opened before she could agree with the memory. "Asami, nice to see you, how are you feeling?"

"Better now," Asami flexed her hand subconsciously. "What brings you here?" She was thrilled to see her old training partner but if a Kyoshi was at the door trouble usually followed.

"We have some intel that the Avatar needs to be briefed on," Ren held up a file.

"Why does she need to be briefed, isn't it something the Kyoshi can take care of?" Asami asked. "She's not really…feeling well."

Ren could guess why, she also could see the concern in her face. "Look this is just a report, it would be useful to have her on the mission I'm proposing, but not imperative." _But it would make it a whole lot easier._

Asami sighed, imperative or not she knew Korra would jump at the chance. "…Fine, she's in the kitchen." Asami opened the door wider and let Ren enter.

Ren looked around the massive main hall with raised eyebrows as she followed Asami, _so this is how the richest woman in Republic city lives._ "Seems like ages ago you were training with the Kyoshi."

"It was," Asami smiled for the first time that day. "It was always so much fun training with you all."

"You're welcome to come by any time you like, kick around some of the newbies if you like." She followed Asami through the door into the kitchen, she almost stopped in her tracks. Korra sat at the table wrapped in a blanket staring blankly at a mug of steaming tea.

"Ren? What are you doing here?" Korra asked feeling like death.

"To brief you on what intel we gathered from the Red Lotus safe house we raided." Ren was struck with confusion now, the Avatar really did look worse for wear.

"You raided a safe house?" Asami asked from behind the counter.

"Intel extracted from a Red Lotus prisoner captured during a staged weapons buy, gave us the location of a safe house in the city." Ren answered. "Earlier this morning the KWG breached it and collected this intel."

"Please sit," Korra taking the tea cup in her shaking hand. "Tell me everything."

"There's a training camp out in the mountains, our high altitude photos suggest its a large facility sunk into the face of the mountain." Ren pulled out several blurry photos from her file.

"So this is what she meant." Korra held the photograph but dropped it before it started to shake. "I have a…contact inside the Red Lotus," _Who is also a wanted Assassin…_ "She told me she'd give me the location for this camp."

"What? When were you going to tell the police about this?" Asami asked incredulous.

Ren ignored Asami's question. "It would've saved time Korra, but the out come will be the same. I've been given permission to basically level this whole encampment, and make sure there aren't any Red Lotus left." Ren closed the file.

"You won't get the boss, thats another thing my contact promised, the leader of the Red Lotus visits that camp every so often. She's getting the date he'll visit next for me." Korra sipped the tea trying hard not to let it shake. "If you can take him out…it'll be finished…can the KWG handle it?"

"We can handle anything." Ren nodded.

Asami raised an eyebrow, She'd expected Korra to jump at the chance. She walked around the kitchen counter and sat next to Korra at the table. She cautiously wrapped an arm around her, even with a blanket on you feel like ice. "They'll do fine."

Korra sighed. "Ren, I'm…sorry I'm not able to help, but you have to make sure that no one escapes. No one. Any survivors and the Red Lotus will sprout up else where. This has to be the end for them." Korra held her hand still, she could already imagine dozens of Red Lotus waiting to have their hearts snatched away from their control. "It has to end."

Ren nodded, _what is going on with her?_ She knew Korra had gotten worse but she hadn't imagined she'd be visibly sick. "The full power of the KWG will be on this, we'll finish it, I promise." Ren stood. "You can call or come by once your contact gets you the information, we'll hold off the strike till then…you can trust us to get it done." Ren looked at Asami. "Nice to see you again, come by and train sometime," She hesitated as she looked at Korra. "I hope your better soon Avatar, you have friends you can rely on just remember that." She nodded good bye and turned to leave the kitchen.

Asami held onto Korra. "She's right you know, any of us will help you through this."

Korra felt her stomach churning. _I'm not sure that's enough…_

I

Hama brushed the last of the remnants of broken lamp into a dust pan, she'd spent more of her time trying to cover the rope burn around her neck. She sighed as she got off her knees and walked the dust pan to the small kitchen in the back of the cottage. While she'd never seen Dr. Ahanu with anything other than tea, the kitchen was nicely appointed with a tiled counter wrapped around the stove and cooktop. Hama dropped the whole dustpan into the trash and went to the fridge to get some ice. She placed a few cubes in a bag and held it to her neck, the mark from the Assassin's rope stung painfully. _This is crazy, luring the Avatar into a trap…am I afraid because it will work? Or because she might actually win._ From the kitchen she could hear the front door open. "Dr. Ahanu?"

"Yes dear," The old man shuffled in and closed the repaired door behind him before heading to the kitchen. He raised an eyebrow at the ice around her neck but quickly went to work brewing tea.

Hama didn't skip a beat. "My contact's idea of a hello, he said he'll get the information for Aku—I mean the Avatar "

Dr. Ahanu set the kettle down on the burner. "Akuma is still an accurate name for her."

"Doctor…you said each of us blood bend for our own reasons. What's hers?" Hama asked eyeing the steam coming out of the top of the kettle.

Dr. Ahanu leaned against the counter and pulled at his beard. "Most of my patients have discovered blood bending in moments of trauma. Her moment of trauma was years ago at the hands of the Red Lotus, what caused her to discover Blood bending was something more recent." The kettle slowly began to whistle. "The police had captured a Red Lotus member that had tried to kill someone she loved. During the interrogation she became enraged, the prisoner didn't leave the room alive."

"So she's…what, doing this for revenge?" Hama asked.

"At first it was for revenge yes, but as the Air Nomads are fond of saying, 'Revenge is like a two headed rat viper, while you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself." Dr. Ahanu snatched the kettle up as it began to whistle loudly. "Revenge is exactly that, a poison, and what is a poison but a drug. Drugs can become addictive, even if they're harmful to the addict."

Hama took the tea cup offered to her. "So she's doing it because she want's to…" Her mind fluttered back to the crushing grip of her trainer. _That explains a lot._

"The line between want and need can quickly become blurred," Dr. Ahanu sipped from his cup. "Whether she wants to, or needs to at this point I cannot tell." His ears perked up at the sound of his door bell. "Ah, put on your face mask, Shiro and Taro are here for some training tonight."

Hama raised an eyebrow but put her mask on all the same, maybe some training is exactly what I need.

I

Korra shivered on the cold tile floor of the bathroom, her whole body ached as she shook, _I can do this…I have to do this_. She flinched as Asami brushed the hair out of her face.

"Is there anything you need?" Asami sat uncertainly next to Korra not really knowing what to do. She'd never seen anything like this, the only thing she knew for sure was that Korra was in serious pain.

 _I need to blood bend._ Korra felt her throat flood with bile and immediately sprung for the toilet. Her whole body clenched as her stomach turned inside out and she puked into the toilet. The retching sound Korra made echoed through the whole estate as she emptied her stomach and the toilet water turned a tea tinged vomit color. _Fuck._ Her stomach clenched against itself. Her breath reeked of puke as she gasped for air.

Asami held her hair as Korra wiped the vomit off her lips. "It'll be okay, you just have to get through tonight."

Korra nodded and sat up against the shower door pinning her knees to her chest, she'd never felt this sick. "Asami…I'm sorry."

She looked at her with shock on her face. "What do you mean?"

"For everything, this shouldn't be happening…I should be stronger than this."

"You are Korra," Asami rubbed her back reassuringly. "You're the strongest person I've ever met."

Korra retched again as bile coated her tongue. "Doesn't feel like it…" she replied as she caught her breath. Immediately she shivered. "Can you get a blanket…or my parka?"

"I'll be right back." Asami kissed the top of her head and quickly left to look for Korra's blanket. As she crossed the room she couldn't help but notice the moonlight creeping across the bedroom floor.

I

Shiro tightened his face mask as he took his place on the opposite end of the field from Hama. He'd arrived before sundown, but now the field and cottage were lit up with blue moonlight. _Okay Shrio, go easy on her._ He rolled his neck and assumed a fighting stance ready for Hama's best. He bent water out of the troughs on either side of the field, bringing them up as two giant blade shaped arms around himself. Through the dark moon lit night he could barely see Hama's figure standing still on other end of the field. "What are you waiting for?"

 _For you to get too cocky_. Hama froze the troughs on both sides of the field and brought water out from the air and charged collecting more water as she ran across the field. _DIVE!_ She ducked and rolled underneath a frozen spear from Shiro, springing up from her roll she launched a spear of her own. She didn't check her aim, only hoping to distract him further as she gained ground against him. Hama smiled as she felt his heart beat grow stronger as she moved like a tsunami across the field. She felt the water around her amass enough and brought it swirling around her. In an instant she had cloaked the whole field in a thick cloud of fog. She couldn't see Shiro, but she could feel him. Hama stopped and took a deep breath, quickly she froze water around the tips of her fingers and felt for his heart beat. It was weak in her grip but she felt it all the same and brought her hand shooting upwards. Akuma had taught her well, the Red Lotus had taught her better. She didn't need to be the best blood bender in the world, she only needed to be good enough to get close. Shiro screamed as she sent him flying upwards and she ran towards where her trajectory had sent him. He hit the ground in an uncontrolled panic as she was falling towards him driving a knee into his chest. She shot her ice clawed hand out holding it close to his neck. "I win." She looked into his shocked eyes and smiled.

I

The moonlight cut a thick line in the carpet of the room as Korra's puking echoed down the long halls of the estate. She was past shivering, now she shook underneath her parka and blanket each not doing anything to keep her warm. She felt like she'd been poisoned again, only this time the Avatar state didn't help blur the pain. Her mouth was thick with the taste of iron from her throat being scraped by her constant retching and puking. _I…can't._ Her hand shook on a separate rhythm from her own body as she tried to get warm. "Asami."

"It'll be okay Korra." Asami blinked away the sleep and tried to sound positive.

Korra felt stomach clench and felt the bile in the back of her throat come rushing up again. Her whole body tensed as she dry heaved into the toilet, instead of more puke she tasted only blood. Her heart throbbed as she spat blood. "I can't do this."

Asami went wide eyed and held Korra tightly. "Listen to me, you have to Korra."

Korra's hand twitched in unison to Asami's heart beat. _NO!_ She shoved herself away from Asami. Her legs were cramped from sitting on the bathroom floor for so long, so she half crawled away from her. "Asami…you need to get away."

"I am not leaving you." Asami tried to console her. Korra felt Asami's heart beat pounding in her hands. _GET AWAY FROM HER!_ Korra crawled out of the bathroom and slammed the door. Without even thinking she metal bent the lock mechanism jamming it into place permanently. She felt Asami's heart beat dim with the thin barrier between them. "Sorry."

"Korra, let me out," Asami jiggled the handle to no avail. "Please."

Korra got to her feet shaking as she did. "I'm not going to let myself hurt you."

"Korra. You're not going to hurt me. Just let me out and we can get through this." Korra stumbled back as her legs almost gave out. Immediately she felt warmer as she fell backwards into the moonlight. The shaking stopped and her freezing body slowly began to warm. Even her stomach stopped churning. Korra threw off the blanket and soaked in the moonlight that warmed her like it was a fire coating her body. The pain had disappeared replaced by peace, as she got to her feet she wiped her chin off and looked at the blood on her hand. It glistened in the moonlight as her hand began to shake, as she eyed her glider in the corner of the room.

I

Hama smiled as Shiro and Taro took their places on the far end of the field, training was exactly what she needed. Hama was getting stronger, she could feel their hearts beating slowly as they riled themselves up for the fight. _Divide and conquer…take it slow and deliberate._ Hama preemptively froze water around her finger tips. "Ready when you are!"  
Shiro glared and charged bringing up a massive block of water from the troughs. "READY!" He charged.

Taro charged but split wide and kept a supply of water from the air near him. "Left side!" He called out as a volley of ice spikes shot through the air. Hama bent the water she'd gathered against the ground like a miniature tsunami immediately turning it to ice. As she readied her next move she froze as shrill scream echoed against the side of the mountain. She looked up and saw the shape of a glider against the moon.

I

Korra let go of her glider, the wind nearly froze against her skin as she began to fall, the moon however boiled her blood. She didn't even collapse her glider, she fell like a brick towards the field below. She sensed Hama's heart beat before Shiro and Taro's, then she felt the water in the troughs and bent it beneath herself. She hit the water tornado like a bomb and slowly lowered herself to the ground letting the water fall away onto the slick ice of the field. She didn't have to look to know where Hama was. The ice crunched underneath her feet as she walked towards the panicked heart beat racing against itself on the far side of the field. Korra could almost already feel the euphoria pulsing in the back of her head as she leveled her hand. It twitched and shook moments away from what it wanted most. Korra took a deep breath and squeezed. Immediately another scream echoed off the mountain side as Hama was ripped off the ground and hovered in the air. "Time to die."

Hama could hardly stop screaming as her insides screamed at her. "I…I did what you asked."

Korra was too busy enjoying the feeling of the throbbing heart in her hands to listen to Hama's panicked groveling. _This is what I need._ She twisted her hand causing Hama to scream even louder. "This is for Kya." She said though she knew it felt too good to be revenge.

"I reached out to my contact." Hama said as she began to cry. "He'll have the information soon! Don't do this!" She could already picture her body being torn apart in a shower of blood. and it felt like it was already being torn.

"Akuma stop!" Dr. Ahanu yelled from across the field.

Korra could already feel his elderly heart rate as he crossed the field. "Don't even try it, you know I need it, and you know what she's done!" Korra brought her hand slamming down causing Hama to crash against the ground with a painful thud. Hama's heart beat thudded in sync with the growing pleasure in the back of her head. She brought up her other hand and began to twist, immediately Hama began to twist against herself and scream. Korra's shoulders shook slightly as the pleasure peaked. _Just a few more twists._

"KORRA NO!"

Immediately Korra froze, she'd been so concentrated on hurting Hama and the waves of pleasure she hadn't even heard the roar of Asami's roadster. She held Hama in the air and watched as Asami jumped out of the roadster. "Asami what are you doing here?" She glared as Hama screamed, without even aiming she threw her backwards near Shiro and Taro.

"Korra…" Asami halted, she'd driven up the mountainside with the intent to rush in and stop Korra. Now that she'd seen her in action, the plan had fallen away leaving her terrified. "What have you done to her?"

"I…I…" Korra took a step towards Asami who immediately stepped backwards. "I'm sorry Asami…I needed it."

"Come back to the estate. Now." Asami pointed to the roadster.

"Korra?" Shiro asked with eyebrows raised. "Akuma, you're the Avatar?"

"How did she know where to find us?" Taro asked suspiciously. Hama coughed up blood.

"You shouldn't have told her about this place,"

"You told her about us?" Taro asked incredulously.

"SHUT UP!" Korra barked.

"Look Asami, you need to leave…I'll be back soon."

"She can't leave! She'll tell the police, do you know what they do to blood benders now?" Taro explained.

"She won't tell the police." Korra explained.

"How can you be sure, Avatar?" Shiro sneered.

"We can't let her leave." Hama said loud enough for only Taro and Shiro to hear, immediately she coughed again.

"Korra we need to go!" Asami pleaded still terrified, she stepped back towards her roadster and felt her whole body tense. Stars floated in her eyes as the pain exploded through her body.

"We can't let her leave alive!" Shiro gripped her by her heart.

"NO!" Korra screamed and immediately grabbed Shiro's heart and clenched her hand. Asami fell to the ground coughing and gasping for air.

"Let him go Akuma! He's right!" Taro tried to grip the Avatar's heart.

Korra felt the faint grip and glared before grabbing his heart in response, the pleasure hit her but the rage overshadowed it. _They'd tried to kill Asami. Last mistake._ She twisted her hands and screamed at them both. Before her eyes even had the chance to glow the two men in her clutches exploded. As the pleasure hit her so did a shower of blood. _ASAMI!_ Korra rushed across the lawn to see Asami regaining her breath.

"Stay away from me!" Asami fell backwards, the pain radiating through her body paled in comparison to the terror she felt now.

Korra walked across the lawn slowly Shiro and Taro's blood trailing down her arms.

 _No…_ "Korra…"

"Asami, I had to protect you…" Korra explained trying to fight through the waves of pleasure clouding her mind. She couldn't tell if it was the moonlight or the blood warming her body as she crossed the lawn.

"Stay away!" Asami scrambled to her feet and continued backing up to the roadster.

"Asami, please!" Korra's face was now a mess of blood and tears. "I'm only trying to protect you!"

Asami felt herself run into the roadster door. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

Korra fell to her knees as Asami started her roadster and floored the accelerator speeding away from her in a cloud of gravel.


	20. FUTURE

Asami wrenched the wheel as the tires spun and the car slid sideways around the corner nearly scraping the guard rail. The engine redlined before she slammed the gear shift up into fifth. She watched the straight away of road that cut its way into the mountain side through tear filled eyes. Her hands might as well have been part of the steering wheel they were clamped on so tight. She’d never been so terrified in her life. The nightmare she’d had weeks ago had been brought to life in front of her. Korra walking across the grass drenched in blood of two people she’d killed. Asami went hard on the brakes causing the roadster to shake and twitch as the tires smoked and she turned wide this time scraping the guard rail in a shower of sparks. _Get it together!_ She wiped the tears away but more replaced them, _What monster has taken over her? this isn’t her it can’t be her._ She downshifted and tried to calm her pounding heart. _Just breathe damn it._ Asami turned another corner and was finally on the main road back to the estate. _She needs to get help… ‘Asami, I had to protect you…’ I need to get her help. I need to. She’s too far gone to help herself._ The exit for her childhood home was coming up fast, she sighed and took the roadster out of gear. In a cloud of smoke and mechanical groaning she slammed on the brakes and slid to a halt at the exit. _What the fuck do I do?_ She knew what was at the estate, and it wasn’t help. _If I’m going to help her I need someone who knows how to help the Avatar. I need Tenzin._ She selected first and set off, the moon was still the primary light in her rearview, for a second she imagined Korra bearing down in a glider. She shook away the idea that gave her the chills and sped up. _I’m going to find help for her,_ She brushed away the last of her tears, _and she’s going to get better, she has to…she just has to._

I

Lin parked her speedster next to a pile of rubble that looked like it was secure enough not to crush her car while she was gone. The old downtown was at an odd stage, some place between being reclaimed by spirit vines and falling down all by itself. She’d visited in the earlier days to look for survivors, now she was coming here to survive her life on the human side of the spirit portal. Lin was bathed in green light as she began to walk down the rubble filled street towards the green portal spiraling into the sky. _I’m coming Kya._ She’d not had as hard of a day as she reckoned Korra had, but she’d been missing Kya so much it hurt. The portal loomed at her as the street ended and the massive crater began. Carefully she eyed the bottom of the crater quickly firing her cables into it and jumped slowly bending her cables and lowering herself down. The floor of the crater was a mix of gnarled vines and glass from the spirit vine explosion that caused the crater. She began the long walk towards over the uneven mix of vines as she thought. The little responsibilities she still had now that she had retired had all faded into the background because all she wanted to do was be with Kya. That being said one of her responsibilities was given to her by Kya. _I looked after her didn’t I? Not really much I can do, she’s the damned Avatar…and way beyond my control. The fuck am I supposed to do? Just don’t be too mad at me eh?_ She couldn’t help but smile as the green spiral of light stood in front of her. She took a deep breath and jumped in. 

I

Tenzin sat like a statue in the lotus position the sun had just begun to shine over the horizon and warm him. He was sitting on one of the many pavilions on the island, only this one was special to him. His Father’s tomb was a simple long stone sarcophagus situated behind him on the pavilion. Behind Avatar Aang’s sarcophagus sunken into the ground was a massive stone copy housing Appa. while his Father had few requests on his death bed the ones he gave were followed to the letter. He hated meditating there in the earlier days, but as time passed he found it comforting to be near his father. A slight breeze moved through his beard as he sat thinking about his father’s successor. _‘You have transformed the world more in a few years than many avatars have in their lifetime’ I was telling the truth Korra, you have been so strong willed and wise…but now I don’t how you chose the path you’re on. I just hope you have a way back._

“Tenzin?” 

“Asami? What brings you to the island?” Tenzin opened his eyes and saw the tear stained face of the heiress. “Is something wrong?”

“It’s Korra,” Asami sat down opposite the Air bender on the stone of the pavilion. She’d broken every speed limit from the mountains to the docks and hopped the first ferry to the island. She’d been up all night caring for Korra and hadn’t slept on the ferry ride. If she hadn’t seen a nightmare in front of her own eyes she would have passed out hours ago. “She’s…well for starters she murdered two people.”

“What?” Tenzin’s peaceful attitude from meditating was instantly destroyed. 

The tears came again. “It was horrible, she ripped them apart in front of my eyes.” 

“I had no idea she had gone so far.” Tenzin’s head dropped to look at his hands. _What have you done?_ “This is serious, where is she now?” 

“Probably back at Dr. Ahanu’s…” Asami wiped away a few of the tears. “It all seems so fucking insane.” She sighed and pulled her knees to her chest. “Dr. Ahanu, her therapist, trains blood benders…they have some bizarre commune set up at his cottage.” 

“Are you serious?” Tenzin scratched his beard. “Should I get the police involved?” “For what? To arrest Korra for murder?” Asami burst into another bout of tears. “How could she…” 

Tenzin blinked back a few tears of his own. “I don’t know…this isn’t like her at all.” _Be patient. Be understanding. Be forgiving._ His father repeated in his head, but he wanted to yell back that he couldn't understand or forgive this. “I have to talk to her. I have to talk some sense into her.” 

“Tenzin, I’ve tried, even Lin has tried. I don’t know if talking will do anything.” Asami sighed.

“What else can we do?” Tenzin sighed and looked out at the giant statue of his father in Yue bay.

“There’s never been an Avatar that’s…been evil?” Asami asked, months ago she’d have though she was insane for saying it. 

“Not to my knowledge,” Tenzin ran his hands through his nonexistent hair. “Being one with a spirit tends to give someone a disposition towards not being evil.” 

“Or just makes it really difficult.” Asami brushed away the last of her tears. “We have to do something Tenzin, anything.”

“I know, I know.” Tenzin stood brushing off his robes. “I’ll look through the temple’s library, in the mean time…” _Why has it come to this…_ “Do you know anyone who can chi block?”

I

Ren stirred for once not waking up in a panic grabbing for her swords, instead she sighed as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight sliding through the blinds of her bedroom. She immediately realized she was laying on Mako’s bare chest as he slept silently beneath her. _What the fuck are you doing._ She pushed aside the thought and listened to his softly thudding heart for a moment more. _Warriors not wives, but who said I was going to marry him…I can just enjoy it now right? I can balance work and him…right?_ As if it heard her the phone immediately started ringing. She moved across the waking Mako and grabbed at the receiver. “Sergeant Ren.” 

“Sergeant its Eri, we’ve got a message from our high altitude airship they’ve sent new film with it but it’ll need to be developed.” Eri spoke over the phone. 

“So…” Ren’s face flushed red as she felt Mako being awake in more than one way. 

“It was marked urgent.” Eri answered. 

“Fuck.” Ren sighed. “I’ll be there soon, thirty minutes.” Ren hung the phone up knowing Eri wasn’t expecting a goodbye. 

“Make that forty five.” Mako smiled and in an instant rolled trapping Ren with him. 

Ren hit the pillows and enjoyed the embrace of his strong arms. “More like thirty two minutes.” She raised an eyebrow tauntingly she acted like she was going in for a kiss but trapped his arms and rolled so she was on top. “Maybe less.” 

“I’m not the one that called me ‘super cop.’” Mako glared. 

Ren opened her mouth to say something but stopped. _Well…he’s got me there._

I

Hama puked up the last of her stomach’s contents, as she blinked away the tears and saw the mix of puke and blood in front of her. Never in her life had she felt so much pain. She had collapsed as soon as the Avatar let her from her grip on the long grass of Dr. Ahanu’s lawn. Her whole body was screaming at her even as she gasped for air. _Why didn’t she just fucking kill me._ Thankfully her stomach was long since empty or she would’ve felt another tremor rippling through it. It felt as if she’d overworked and sprained every single muscle in her body, painfully she moved to her knees and finally regained her breath. It took her a moment of pain and gritted teeth but she eventually stood and realized the lawn was covered in blood. _Shiro and Taro…_ If she had more tears and wasn’t in pain simply breathing she would have mourned their passing. _Avatar Korra you will pay for this,_ Hama limped her way across the lawn towards the cottage. She made it to the stairs before collapsing, she tried to catch her breath again but every breath made her chest and stomach scream. _I’m going to enjoy it when they kill you._ Hama wondered if the Red Lotus would forgive her mistakes if she brought the Avatar on a silver platter. Whether they did or not she just hoped they made it painful. 

“Do you need help my dear?” Dr. Ahanu called from inside the cottage. 

“I’m fine doc,” She was not fine, she could still taste the blood in her mouth, but she was too stubborn to ask for help from an old man. She rolled over on the stairs and watched the sun light creep across the lawn. In the new light of the day she could see the shadow off a bird circling. She didn’t make the connection, until she heard it shriek as it entered a dive. _Better land close._ The messenger hawk didn’t hear her but it knew its target, breaking out of the dive it coasted to a halt on the railing of Dr. Ahanu’s porch. She took a deep breath readying herself to make the effort to stand up, while the massive bird looked her like a piece of dying meat. _Fuck off,_ She gritted her teeth and stood up fending off the temptation to fall back down. She carefully grabbed the tube off the hawk and waited for the bird to fly off. She popped the tube open and unrolled the message. _Oh for fuck sake._ She sighed and hobbled up the steps into the house. “Dr. Ahanu, do you have a copy of love amongst the dragons?” 

I

Ren dug her nails into Mako’s shoulders as she tensed and erupted in a loud moan echoed by Mako’s own as he clenched beneath her. She collapsed down onto his chest that was slick with a mixture of his and her sweat. She could hear his heart beat as before but it was now a powerful thudding in his chest. _Guess it will be forty five after all._ “Okay super cop,” Ren moved upwards still shaking a little and kissed Mako before biting his neck. “I really need to go to work.” She bit down again hard enough to make a mark. 

“Oww.” Mako rolled and attempted to do the same before Ren held him back. 

“Not where they’ll see at work.” Ren stopped him dead. 

“ _Fine…_ ” Mako smiled and disappeared beneath the sheets.

_I swear…_ she blushed with a smile as she felt Mako’s breath trail down her bare skin and hovered around her waist. She couldn’t help but yelp in surprise as she felt his teeth clamp down on her hip. “Bastard.” She smiled and yanked the sheets off and trapped his head with her legs. “I’ve got to go to work.” She let him free and hopped off the bed biting her lip to fend off the shakes in her legs. Quickly she made her way over to her dresser and grabbed her dress uniform out of it. 

Mako laid naked on her bed watching her dress. “I’m enjoying being the liaison for the Kyoshi.” 

Ren buttoned the cuffs of her shirt. “Well I’m enjoying it too, but the raid is coming up, what do you plan do to after that?” _I shouldn’t have asked that. Who cares what he’s doing after that, you’ll still be a Kyoshi!_

“Well I’ll be tagging along for a while longer…after that I don’t know.” Mako realized he should be going to work as well. He relaxed for a moment more and rolled off the bed. 

_I…that shouldn’t have hurt as bad as it did._ She pulled on her jacket and did up the buttons. _What were you expecting, him to say he loves you?_ She struggled with the last button. “I’ll call the station if we get any new intel.” Ren put on her boots quickly lacing them ignoring the thoughts in her head. 

“So, see you tonight then?” Mako asked pulling on his own uniform and adjusting his badge. 

_…is that good or bad._ “Uh, sure,” She checked her watch. “Fuck, I’m already late, you can let yourself out.” She rushed out of her apartment trying not to over analyze what Mako had said. However she couldn’t help but feel the sting of his response. ‘ _After that I don’t know’_

 

I

_It’ll be fine Korra just relax, she’ll be pissed but Asami will eventually forgive me…right?_ _She’s got to._ She didn't mind the cold air as she hung from beneath her glider in the cold air of the morning. She’d blood bent Hama enough to make even her feel bad, the shaking had stopped and the euphoric feeling coursing through her body was amazing. Enough to keep her warm and vaguely happy, but not enough not to make her worry about Asami. The blood bending brought her the warmth, the estate coming into view cooled her veins. _I have to convince her to stay with me._ She readied for a landing with the balcony coming into view. _Have to convince her._ She landed feet first and rolled onto the balcony of their room. Normally Asami would be sound asleep on their bed behind the curtains. Korra could already tell that she wasn’t. _No…_ Korra ripped open the curtains separating their room from the outside. _Where is she?_ “Asami?” She called trying to subdue the rising panic in her chest. _She’s got to be in the kitchen._ “Asami?” She called walking from the bedroom letting her glider fall on the floor. The hall way echoed her efforts as she walked down it. _She can’t be gone…_ She entered the kitchen after a quick trip downstairs. It felt as cold as she did. _Where is she?_ Korra stormed from the kitchen out into the foyer, the marble flooring echoed her boots stomping across to the front door. Ripping open the door she screamed. “ASAMI!” She furthered her stomping towards the garage across from the estate. _SHE HAS TO BE HERE._ Having to restrain herself from metal bending the garage door off it’s hinges she slowly opened the door. She expected to open the door and find Asami half underneath a satomobile with rod knock or another problem only Asami could explain. Instead she found an empty garage lined with Asami’s tools. _Where is she?_ Korra slammed the door shut and began to walk across the lawn back to the main entrance to the estate. “ASAMI!” She cried looking at the rising sun, knowing she wouldn't hear an answer. Immediately the tears came rolling down her cheeks. _Where are you?_ She dropped to her knees in the grass of the estate already fearing the worst. _She’s gone…isn’t she? SHE CAN’T BE GONE!_ She cried out in agony driving her fist into the ground for once not earth bending. 

I

“OH FOR FUCK SAKE!” Ren slammed her fist down on her desk as she viewed the high altitude photographs. They only got worse as she flipped through the small stack. It started with the same view of the camp as before, the next showed a black line on the perimeter, the next another black line which she knew were cannons and more troops. By the time she got to the end of the stack the camp in the picture had amassed an army with enough fire power to knock any airships they brought out of the sky. “How long have we known?”

Eri sat across from her desk eyeing the slight red mark peaking slightly from Ren’s collar. “Since earlier this morning.” 

“Well…this complicates things.” Ren slumped forward on her desk hitting her head on the top. “Get me the topographical maps of this area, and tell Teku I need to see her…and get me some coffee please.” 

“Everything alright Sergeant? You never drink coffee.” Eri wondered if it had to do with whoever gave Ren that mark. 

Ren sighed. “Are you…seeing anyone at the moment?” 

“Yes, I’m engaged actually.” Eri happily pulled a necklace holding a plain ring from around her neck. 

Ren chewed on her lip. “How do you do it? Balance work and that at the same time?” 

Eri raised an eyebrow, it was strange that her boss was asking for advice, especially on a matter like this. _Awww, Ren does have a heart._ “It gets complicated a lot, we both work long hours and don’t see each other very often, but when we do, it’s worth it.” 

Ren frowned. “And he was okay with you doing what we do?”

“If he wasn’t I wouldn’t have said yes to him.” Eri shrugged. “Especially with our job it’s nice to have someone to count on, that isn’t another Kyoshi that is.” 

Ren thought back to the little jump her heart made when she’d opened the door to her apartment and saw him standing there. _She’s not wrong._ “That much is true,” she glanced down at the photographs again. “Skip the coffee, just bring Teku to me.” Ren instructed and watched as Eri headed towards the door. “And…uh, thanks for the advice.”

Eri nodded. “Anytime boss.” 

I

Lin knew she’d never get tired of this feeling, she held Kya against her in an embrace she thought she had lost permanently. Lin had sprinted through the bizarre landscape as soon as she’d walked through the portal and immediately sought out Kya. Thankfully she wasn’t far, she’d camped herself close to the portal to catch any potential messenger to bring her warning back to the human side of the portal. However the burst of excitement and happiness she got from seeing Lin again pushed all of that to the back of her mind. “I missed you.” Lin said with her face buried in Kya’s shoulder. 

“I missed you too.” Kya leaned back and brushed her lips against Lin’s enjoying the burst of electricity Lin’s lips brought to her. “How is everyone?” 

Lin froze. _Well Korra is a wreck, the whole city is in a panic and we’re going to exterminate the Red Lotus…everyone is totally perfectly fine._ “Korra…isn’t doing to hot.”

“What do you mean?” Kya’s eyes went wide. 

“I think she’s trying to stop, but it isn’t working.” Lin answered still holding Kya. 

“Damn it.” Kya sighed. “Lin, did your mother ever tell you about Old Lady Hama?” 

Lin took a moment to think. “She wasn’t big on bed time stories, she was the original blood bender right?”

“Right, when my mother and father fought her they put her in prison, eventually she tried to escape. When she did she died from blood bending too much, my mother said it was a heart attack.” Kya could hardly believe she was talking about the Avatar in the same conversation as Old Lady Hama. “If she is getting worse, you need to stop her if she keeps it up it _will_ kill her.”

“Everyone keeps saying that, how the fuck am I going to stop the Avatar?” Lin held her hands up. “How is anyone?”

Kya stopped. “I don’t know…”

“Trust me, everyone she knows has asked her to stop, it’ll take more than a polite request to stop her now.” Lin scratched her head. “If it a combustion bender we’d knock out their third eye, Lava bender just had to over power them, but blood?”

“That’s it! Lin you’re a genius!” Kya kissed her quickly. “Blood bending is just bending right? Even if it is evil.” 

“I don’t disagree that I’m a genius but…why am I one?” Lin kept scratching her head. 

“CHI BLOCKING!” Kya had to stop herself from grabbing Lin and shaking her in excitement. “If someone can get close enough and chi block her, then we can at the very least subdue her…maybe long enough to talk some sense in her.” 

_If she can have sense talked into her at this point…_ Lin doubted it herself but Korra had always surprised her. “Do you really want to be the person to try and chi block the Avatar? What if it doesn’t work.”

“Lin, she could die, it has to work and we have to try it.” 

“You have to go tell Tenzin, He’ll know what to do.” Kya said.

“But…I just got here.” Lin couldn’t keep the hurt out of her voice.

Kya smiled. “I know Lin…but it’s Korra’s life that’s at stake, you have to go, tell Tenzin everything I’ve told you.” 

Lin sighed. “I’ll be back tonight, we’re planning an attack on a Red Lotus compound, I won’t go without seeing you again.” She hushed away any questions from Kya by closing her lips with hers. 

“You have to make sure Korra doesn’t go.” Kya cautioned.

“Don’t worry, she doesn’t even want to.” Lin kissed Kya again. _I can’t believe I have to go._

Kya held onto her kiss. “Hurry back.”

I

Asami brushed off the tears and tried to put on a face that said she hadn’t been periodically crying the whole day. _She’ll be alright, just be brave and push on._ She took a deep breath and knocked hard on the door in front of her. 

“ENTER.”

She opened the door and immediately her jaw dropped, Ren’s simple office had turned into a full on war room. The case holding the Kyoshi armor was now displaying a large map and three Kyoshi huddled around the desk. They parted giving Asami a view of Ren in her chair. “Are you in the middle of something?”

“Asami, we’re just doing some planning for the mission I briefed you and Korra on.” Ren read the look on Asami’s face. _She’s been crying…a lot._ “Kirā, Kiko, and Eri you check in with the other two see how their training is coming along, after that head to the dojo for some sparring…full kit and weapons.” 

Asami moved out of the way as the one of the most terrifying Kyoshi she’d ever seen walked by her. The tallest one who Ren had addressed as ‘Kirā’ nearly had to duck beneath the door way, besides her height Asami could tell by the way her arms filled the uniform that she was built like a mecha-suit. She waited till they’d all left and shut the door behind them. “Reinforcements?” 

“I’m going to need every last swinging sword in this place,” Ren motioned to another map which was spread on her desk. 

Asami walked over to the desk and saw the map was a scaled up version of the one on the wall behind Ren. Marked with numerous large red X’s labeled ‘Anti-Air cannon’ as well as a few black X’s labeled ‘fortified positions’. While Asami wasn’t a soldier she could see that the low ground the Kyoshi would have to approach from had become a killing field, and the dozen or so Anti-air cannon’s kept the skies a no fly zone. “The Kyoshi can still handle it through right?” 

“Absolutely.” _But not without some luck…and heavy casualties._ “What brings you to me? Want to knock some newbies heads around?” 

“I wouldn’t mind it actually, but unfortunately…I need something more serious.” Asami sighed and felt her heart drop again. “I need to find a chi blocker.” 

Ren leaned back in her chair. “Does this have something to do with Korra?” 

Asami tried to keep her brave face, but she had to force the word out. “Yes.” 

“Take a seat,” Ren offered and opened the bottom drawer of her desk to retrieve her bottle of whisky and two glasses. “Tell me everything.” 

Asami wasn’t even sure if she wanted a glass as Ren poured the amber liquid into the small cups. “Korra…” _Murdered two people in front of me?_ “She’s in a dark place right now, and she’s having trouble with blood bending.” 

Ren placed Asami’s glass in front of her and took a sip of her own, letting it burn down her throat. “So I’ve heard, she’s tried stopping hasn’t she?” 

“She has…but it’s not working.” Asami dropped her shoulders and sighed, eyeing the glass as it sat on the desk. 

Ren played with the glass swirling around the whiskey inside it. “And you want a chi blocker to…what?”

“If she can’t stop, and she’s killing people, she needs to be stopped…” Asami grabbed the glass and took a gulp. 

“By a chi blocker?” 

The whisky burned almost as bad as the tears in her eyes. “By anyone that can.” 

“I’m not sure its a good idea…” Ren had seen Korra blood bend, seen the rage behind her eyes, anything in the way of that wouldn’t be there for very long. 

“She said it could kill her,” Asami wasn’t keeping her brave face on anymore, instead she took another gulp of whiskey. “I won’t…can’t let that happen.” 

Ren took a sip of her glass. “The Kyoshi only have a few, towards the end of Amon’s reign most of the chi blockers skipped town…and I doubt any of them would want to chi block the Avatar.” 

Asami sighed trying to keep the tears under control, she downed the last of the whiskey. “Can you do it or not.” 

“I’ll ask, but my old trainer, an evil old woman named Hasani, was fond of saying ‘why train chi blocking when you can knock the bender out instead of their bending.’.”

“I don’t think either of us could take Korra out in a fight.” Asami leaned back in the chair letting the desperation hit her again. 

Ren looked at the map in front of her then back at Asami and immediately an idea clicked into place. “Well, if you can’t take something head on,” Ren slid open the drawer above the one containing her whiskey. “You cheat.” She grabbed an electro gauntlet from inside the drawer and placed it on the desk with a thunk.

I

Hama sat in the library re-reading the decoded message over and over, the Red Lotus had believed her, and they had hurried. She just hadn’t expected them to hurry that much, she’d decoded the message in a matter of minutes but had spent hours considering it. 

“ **Bring the Avatar the day after tomorrow to Camp Laghima, once we destroy her we will discuss your situation. We will be waiting.”**

Hama sighed again, she wasn’t expecting to see the moon rise on that day. _If_ the Red Lotus succeeded and that was a big _if,_ she’d be shocked if they let her live. She’d only begun to recover from the torture she’d endured at the hands of the Avatar. She ached just laying on the couch. She forced herself to sit up immediately wincing as she pushed on new severe bruising all over. _I’m not just going to wait for her to show up and beat me to death_. “Doc?” she called and immediately heard soft slippered footsteps and the chattering of tea cups on a platter coming towards her. 

“Yes my dear?” Dr. Ahanu hobbled his way into the library and sat in his usual chair after carefully placing the tea cups on the table. 

“How do you contact Avatar Korra?” Hama held herself as her body ached. 

“By phone mostly, but that number is confidential.” He sipped from his tea cup and looked at his patient on the couch. “Though as it seems giving her a call rather than her showing up here would improve your mental…and physical health I’ll dial it for you.” 

Hama’s whole body relaxed. “Thanks doc.” She waited while he dialed and tried to plan out the conversation in her head. _I’ve come through on my end of the bargin…maybe don’t kill me?_ She froze as Dr. Ahanu handed her the phone, she stared at it as she heard it dialing. Reluctantly Hama took it in her hand and held it to her ear. _Here goes nothing._ The phone stopped ringing and she could hear it being picked up on the other end. “H-hello?” Her heart raced even waiting for an answer. She heard only a slow but strong breathing on the other side. “Akuma?”

“What?”

“The leader of the Red Lotus will be at camp Laghima at noon the day after tomorrow…I can take you there.” Hama answered.

“I know where it is…I’ll be by later tonight to keep up my end of the bargain.” 

Hama’s blood ran cold, even for Korra, the way she talked about killing her so calmly was unsettling. She felt like puking again but instantly thought of an idea. “Are you sure you know the inner catacombs of the camp? I do. I can lead you straight to Master Koju.” 

Korra sighed. “Fine, I’ll pick you up on the way there.” 

The line went dead and Hama looked at the phone, breathing another sigh of relief. _Looks like I won’t die today after all._

I

Ren slammed her fist down on the desk in front of her, she hadn’t left her office all day and had already debated calling Mako to tell him she wouldn’t be home till exceptionally late. She glared at herself, _you need to be a warrior not his girlfriend, you still haven’t figured a way to do this without massive fucking casualties!_ She had tried everything and asked all the members of her squad to brainstorm ideas. The best they could come up with was sending a demo team in to take out the cannons, but that was a suicide mission. If the demo team didn’t succeed the whole thing would turn into a suicide mission. The Kyoshi had many weapons but none that could take out the cannons and still have their forces within range to attack. Ren wracked her brain for the millionth time that day. _There has to be a way._ Immediately her mind pictured Korra. With the power of the Avatar on their side she could minimize casualties for sure. _‘She said it could kill her’_ Asami’s voice rang loudly in her head. _She’s the Avatar how bad could she really be?_ Mako’s voice was next in her head. ‘ _She’s our friend Lin not some weapon’ …Mako is right, Asami is right. I can’t use her as a weapon…but maybe I can use her as a back up plan_ … She spun in her chair to take a look at the bigger map hung from her armor case. _If plans A and B don’t work she’ll be my ace in the hole._ Ren relaxed in her chair for the first time that day, still the growing urge in the back of her head nagged at her. _Oh fuck it all._ She spun around and grabbed the phone off the desk and dialed the number for the Police HQ. It rung four times before someone picked up. “Hi this is Sergeant Ren with the KWG, I need to talk to Detective Mako our Liaison with the department?” She rolled her eyes as the droning voice on the other end of the line offered to connect her straight away.

“Detective Mako speaking,”

“Hey super cop.” Ren grinned, the worry she had in the morning replaced by the giddiness she felt in her stomach. 

“Sergeant,” 

With how he sounded through the phone she could practically see him winking at her. “I have some new intel for you regarding what we discussed in the morning.” She bit her lip. “We should proceed as planned but I won’t be there till late, hope you don’t mind.” Just the mere thought of him waiting for her when she returned home for the day made her smile. 

“I’ll be there, wouldn’t miss it.” Mako responded actually winking unintentionally. 

“Good, see you then,” Ren hesitated for a moment before hanging up the phone. She shook away her giddiness and grabbed the jacket to her dress uniform. _Time to get my ace in the game._

I

Ren coasted her Sato cycle into the gravel driveway of the estate and glided to a stop, her boots knocking against some of the rocks as she did. The headlight of her Sato cycle cut through the pitch black night and highlighted bits of the estate as she brought it to a stop. Immediately alarm bells went off in her head, the lawn was torn up leaving jagged chunks of earth strewn around at random. She took off her helmet and scanned the area, as she crept closer she could see burn marks on the ajar front door of the estate as well. _Who was fighting here?_ She cursed herself twice, once for leaving her swords at the office and the second time for canceling the Kyoshi guard on the estate. She proceeded as she was trained bringing up her guard and carefully eyeing her surroundings. Silently she made her way across the gravel and destroyed lawn and stopped at the door. _Don’t suppose theres a point in knocking._ She launched a powerful roundhouse kick at the heavy wooden door, it swung backwards slamming against the wall with a loud crash. Ren was in the foyer and scanning the room in seconds, _no threats…yet._ She crept slowly across the foyer with her fists ready to strike, as she looked around for more than threats it was clear someone had made a complete mess of things. Remnants of shattered vases and portraits that had been ripped from the wall littered the floor crouching under her boots. _What the fuck happened here?_ “H-Hello?” She waited for an answer but moved up the stairs when no one called back. The disaster area that had become Asami’s usually immaculate estate continued down the hallway. _This is where the monster from under the bed comes out and eats you._ Her mind chided her. “Hello?” She called again not expecting a response she dropped her guard. Just as she was turning to head back the whole house echoed with a painful sounding puking noise. _What the fuck?_ Ren walked quickly to the end of the hallway where it seemed the sound had originated from. “Korra?”

“ASAMI?” 

Ren stood fast almost bringing her guard up again as the Avatar came rushing out of the room at the end of the hallway. “Korra, it’s me, Ren.”

“Oh…” Korra held back the next wave of nausea hitting her like a tsunami. “It’s just you.” 

Ren raised an eyebrow the reason for coming to the estate fading to the back of her mind. The Avatar standing in front of her was drastically different from the one she’d first met, the strong and fearsome persona that usually radiated from her was entirely gone. Instead Korra stood holding her stomach clearly in pain, through the mess of hair even in the dark hallway she could tell her eyes were bloodshot. “Are you okay?”

Korra gritted her teeth. “Fine, fine.” Immediately her stomach rolled and she made a mad dash for the bathroom. 

Ren followed out of concern and morbid curiosity. “Are you sure?” She asked grimacing as the reply was the sound of Korra emptying her stomach into the toilet. Ren quickly glanced around the room seeing it was disheveled as the rest of the estate. Joining the Avatar in the bathroom, which wasn’t much better, she could see her shaking as the last of the dry heaving stopped. _So this is why Asami was so concerned._ “Is there anything I can do?” 

_Let me blood bend you till this stops?_ Korra collapsed back against the shower door wiping the puke from her chin letting her breath comeback. “I’m fine, how’s the mission looking?” 

“Oh, right.” Ren’s mission came back to the front of her mind. “About that, it seems someone might have tipped off the camp about an attack. They’ve seriously ramped up their defenses and troop numbers.” 

_Hama…I’m going to break you in two._ “Can you still manage?” 

“We’ve got a fleet of airships ready and waiting, only thing is the damn anti air cannons they’ve put in place could knock them out of the sky before we can get our warriors on the ground.” Ren reminded herself that Korra was supposed to be a back up plan. “So what we’re planning on doing is sending in a stealth demolition team and knocking out the cannons. Once that is done we’ll fly in low and fast…”

“But?” Korra enjoyed the brief reprieve she’d been granted from the nausea and puking, but held her hand against herself as it shook. 

“But if the demo teams were to fail it would be catastrophic, and I’d lose a lot of warriors.” _Most of them._ “We have a plan B, a high altitude ship carrying a spirit vine bomb it should knock the cannons out.” 

“You’re not sure…are you?” Korra’s teeth clenched as her stomach screamed at her.

“No…” _Now I’m not sure about my plan C either._ “I need a back up back up plan if I’m going to be comfortable sending in this many warriors.” 

“Me?” Korra felt another wave of dry heaving coming on. 

“You.” Ren sat down on the bathroom sink and flushed the toilet, wincing as she could see a few drops of blood in the mix of puke and water as it flushed away. 

“Fine…” Korra took a deep breath trying to keep control, _I can do this_. “My contact in the Red Lotus says their leader will be there the day after tomorrow.”

“Perfect, I’ll send the message out to each of my sergeants they’ll ready their teams.” Ren couldn’t help but feel bad for her as Korra launched into another bout of dry heaving. 

“Thank you,” Korra got out between gasps for air as her dry heaves ended.

Ren hopped off the sink and crouched close to her. “By the end of that day the Red Lotus will be nothing but a legend, I’ll make sure of it.” She placed a hand on the Avatar’s shoulder trying to comfort her. It was only now that Ren could feel how cold Korra’s body was freezing and the constant but subtle tremors going through it. “Are you sure you don’t need anything?” 

Korra’s shoulders fell. “Have you seen Asami?”

Ren’s mind reeled for a lie. “No…do you want me to try and contact her for you?” 

“Please?” Korra sighed and pulled her knees to her chest grimacing as her body ached. “Just…tell her I need her.” 

“Sure thing…I’ll give her office a call as soon as I get home.” Ren answered standing ready to leave. 

Korra sighed. “She’s not there…or at least she isn’t answering for me…the only place I haven’t tried is Air Temple Island.” 

Ren nodded. “I’ll call there then,” 

“Thank you,” Korra held herself as she shook. 

“Hang in there…okay?” Ren waited for a quick nod and began making her way out of the disheveled house. _Avatar or not that can’t be healthy for her._ As she headed down the stairs she wincing as another wave of vomiting echoed through the house. _Relax, she’s a back up for the backup…everything will be fine._ She made sure the heavy door of the estate closed with a secure thunk and headed back to her Sato cycle. Firing it up and fitting her helmet she realized for the first time ever she was excited to get back home. 

I

Korra spat on the floor to clear her mouth her head throbbing and her body still shaking. It was a constant battle between shaking because she was freezing and staying still in order to stop her body from aching. _Asami…I really need you right now…_ Her glider stared at her from the floor in the bedroom begging to be flown towards Hama. _She’s betrayed you she’s an Assassin for the Red Lotus. No one would blame you. Not even Asami._ She flinched as her mind played back Asami’s shrill scream as She bent Shiro and Taro. Korra clenched her teeth and tried to stand, her legs felt like they were sunk into concrete. Each movement no matter how small felt like lifting a hundred pounds. Her fingers clawed at the grit in between the tiles as she steeled herself for the effort of getting to her feet. _Three_. She groaned and moved to her feet, after what seemed like ages she swayed on her feet waves of nausea hitting her. Korra caught her self on the counter and fought off the temptation to pass out entirely. _What the fuck is wrong with you?_ She glared at her reflection. _You really are a monster…even Asami thinks so now._ Korra screamed angrily and lashed out punching the mirror into a million pieces. She kept punching till the steel backing to the mirror was slick with her blood. The tears came next, not from the pain or gashes on her hand but her mind stuck on repeat. _Even Asami thinks you’re a monster…even Asami thinks you're a monster. EVEN ASAMI THINK’S YOU’RE A MONSTER._ She collapsed backwards sobbing into her hands hitting the tile with a thud. Her breaths came in ragged and rapid gasps. Her blood soaked her hands pouring from her knuckles and dripping down her face. Without even thinking she bent the blood off her hands and concentrated on the ruby red shine it had to it in the light of the bathroom. _You…are…not…a monster._ She took a deep breath and repeated it to herself. Though the blood in between her hands calmed her, she couldn’t help but feel like she was lying herself. 


	21. Death of the Legend Part 1

Korra stood up on the top of the Warship and grabbed her glider, she couldn’t hear its powerful engines shoving the massive ship through the air but the whole hull of the ship vibrated beneath her feet as it began to speed up. Replacing the engines was the roar of wind around her threatening to push her backwards off her perch. _This is where it all ends._ She could tell the air that was now rushing around her was cold but her body was still radiating warmth from ending Hama’s life which kept her warm enough not to care. Korra eyed the mountains to the far right of the Warship as they curved into the valley and felt as the ship beneath her shifted to fly around the mountain in front of them. _‘Just…please come back to me.’_ Asami’s voice echoed in her head. _I love you Asami._ As the massive flotilla of Warships drifted sideways around the mountain she started to be able to see the end of the valley. _So that’s camp Laghima_. As they moved she made out the details, a massive fortress carved straight into the mountain at the end of the valley flanked on either side by equally massive statues carved into the rock. The whole flotilla, consisting of seven massive Warships flying in a low formation, began to speed up charging the fortress with engines roaring. The mountains in the valley echoed the alarm bells as the warships headed their way. Korra unholstered the radio in a satchel on her side. “Ren, what about plan B?” 

“They’re over head now.”Ren responded from the bridge inside the ship. 

Korra heard a volley of explosions and realized the cannons at Camp Laghima had begun to fire. She readied herself to deflect any incoming bombs but she watched as they all fell short of the flotilla’s forward line.

Ren’s voice crackled over the radio. “Firing in three, two, one!” 

Korra squinted looking in the sky above the camp for the small metal containers that were plan B. A different kind of explosion came from the camp at the end of the valley. _Combustion bender._ The entire sky went purple as the spirit vine bomb exploded high above the camp. _Shit._

“What the fuck was that?” Ren barked into the radio as the concussive wave from the blast tapped the ship. 

“They’ve got a combustion bender, they knocked the bomb out of the air before it could do any damage.” Korra reported. 

“Repeat last coordinates and fire again.” Ren called over the radio. 

Korra gripped the hand mic in her hands and raised it to her mouth. “Don’t fire again. Ren, I’m going to take care of them.” Korra’s hand shook idly at her side as she dropped the the radio satchel on the Warship’s roof with a clunk. With a flick of her wrist she deployed her glider and broke into a run. She could hear Ren’s protests over the radio but only for a moment before she dove off the front of the Warship and took off on her glider. _This is where it all ends._

 

I

 

THE DAY BEFORE

 

Asami drained the last of her tea cup and sighed as the Air Nomad blend of tea warmed her against the cold morning. The sun was just coming up over the bay which made the waters shimmer in a way she’d never seen before. She sat on the counter in the kitchen of Tenzin’s family home. If the estate’s kitchen was spartan this kitchen was barren, she realized Pema never needed to cook meat, but it was a mystery how she kept the island fed from such a small kitchen. She smoothed her usual jacket out as she sat, she hadn’t left the island since her panicked trip there yesterday morning. Asami knew the note was in her pocket, she knew what the note said, and she knew she had to make a decision soon. Ren had called late last night, an Air Nomad had taken the message, Asami had been hopeful that Ren had found her a Chi blocker. Instead the note scrawled on a piece of paper by the Nomad just made her heart sink. _‘Korra wanted me to contact you, she asked me to tell you that she needs you.’_ The message was brief but the pain it caused had kept Asami up all night. _She’s not a monster, she just needs help._ Immediately the horrific memory of the two blood benders being torn apart flashed into her mind. _A lot of help…I shouldn’t just abandon her._ She leaned back against the hanging cabinetry letting her head thunk against the wooden door. _You’re not abandoning her._ She rolled her eyes remembering the thunk Ren’s electro gauntlet made on her desk. _She needs help._ Hesitantly Asami pulled out the scrap of paper and re-read the words. _‘She needs you.’_ The pain in her heart returned and hurt like it was a fresh wound. _Korra, what you need is help, more help than I can give you…_ Asami stopped herself, she couldn’t help but imagine Korra alone in the bathroom puking her guts up. She shoved down the brief thought that instead of alone Korra was blood bending someone. _She needs me that should be all I need to know._ She placed the tea cup in the sink and walked out of the kitchen into the dinning room. Thankfully all the Nomads were out meditating on the different pavilions of the island. Rushing from the dining room her footsteps grew more urgent as she made her way down the hallway towards the first and biggest pavilion. As the chanting floated its way through the morning air, she slowed herself out of respect as she slid the door open and observed the circle of Nomads all mediating as one. Jinora was in the center of the circle in the lotus position as peaceful as could be. Asami didn’t hang around, after she was out of earshot she resumed her quickened pace heading for the docks. _There should be a ferry, or a gondola._ She mentally crossed her fingers making her way down a set of cobble stone steps. 

“Where are you headed off to?” Pema asked in a near whisper as she stood admiring a statue of Avatar Yangchen. 

Asami froze turning to see who her accuser was. “Oh…hey Pema.” She looked at the mother who now sported a bit more grey hair than when they had first met. Other than the hair she hadn’t changed a bit. Asami had never forgotten her mother, and she never forgot how Pema had treated her like a daughter. Lying never crossed her mind. “I’m…going to see Korra.”

Pema smiled and nodded to a bench by the statue. “Sit for a moment?” 

Asami looked in the direction of the docks and hesitated. “Uh…”

“First ferry doesn't leave for thirty minutes.” Pema took a seat on the bench and patted the spot next to her. “Do you know who this statue is of?” 

“No, I was always more into engineering over history.” Asami answered honestly as she took a seat next to her. She took in the statue from her seat. “It looks like an older version of Jinora.”

Pema chuckled. “She’d be thrilled to hear you say that, this is Avatar Yangchen the Airbender in the Avatar cycle before my father in law.” Pema fondly remembered her air acolyte classes when she was younger. “The Air Nation is by it’s nature a pacifistic one, and the Avatar by nature can’t be a pacifist.” 

Asami raised an eyebrow, _where is this headed?_ She frowned. “I could never see Korra as a pacifist.”

“The history books hardly even touch on Avatar Yangchen’s life and history,” It was Pema’s turn to frown. “Can you imagine the struggle of being taught from birth that every life is precious then being told your main purpose on earth is to make the choice of who lives and who dies?”

Asami’s eyes teared up imagining the burden Korra was under. “It must be awful.”

“Avatar Yangchen’s story will only be told in the mediation circles on those pavilions” Pema lamented. “Avatar Korra’s on the other hand will be told everywhere.” 

“What are you saying?” 

“Korra is in a dark place, she’s been seduced by blood bending and done some very awful things…but it is just a paragraph on the pages of her legend.” Pema smiled. “She’ll be okay, we just need to help her the best we can.” She eyed the statue. “When they tell her story they won’t even remember her for being a blood bender.”

Asami sighed. “I hope you’re right.” 

Pema nodded and leaned closer to Asami. “Now go get her.”

I 

Kya sat in the grass feeling like she did when she was a teenager, sitting next to Lin chewing on a long strip of grass as happy as could be. She tried to just lay still and enjoy the feeling of being with Her. 

“So…after all this Red Lotus business is taken care of, I’m coming to live with you.” Lin said laying flat on the grass next to her.

The waving strip of grass stopped. “Lin…you know you can’t do that.”

“Why not?” Lin smiled to herself. “I’m retired.” 

Kya smirked as she spotted Lin’s armor on a nearby hill. “From being a police chief, not from being Lin.” 

“I think I could retire from that too,” Lin moved closer wrapping her arm around Kya. “I told you before, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, end of story.” 

Kya couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter, she leaned down and kissed Lin. “But what about your family?” 

Lin immediately felt guilty, she hadn’t really given them a thought when she’d considered moving to the spirit world. “I’ll say my goodbyes, all of Su’s kids are grown, I’ll have to track down mom…but after that I don't see any problems with moving here.” 

“Besides the fact you don’t actually know how to ‘move’ here?” Kya chided laying back in the soft grass.

Lin sighed. “True…but Iroh is here, and Tenzin is back on the other side, who better to help me figure this out?” 

Kya smiled absentmindedly thumbing her betrothal necklace. “I love you Lin,” 

Lin rolled over and kissed Kya. “I love you too,” She winked.

“So when’s this…battle supposed to take place?” Kya ran her hands down Lin’s biceps running against a few scars here and there. 

“Ren called us last night, we’re supposed to meet at the KWG headquarters tonight at midnight.” Lin answered, as Kya lowered herself to rest next to her.

“Why so late?” 

“They’ll assemble their forces then move out to the airfield, then it’s a few hours flight from there to Camp Laghima.” Lin reiterated what Ren had told her over the phone. 

“And you’re sure that Korra isn’t going?” 

Lin nodded, Ren hadn’t told her about plan C. “She’s been so sick lately she doesn’t even want to go.” 

“That’s not being sick that’s going through withdrawal,” Kya corrected.

“It’s odd, I’ve only met two blood benders in my life and they never got sick…though I wasn’t around them much.” Lin offered. 

“It’s like a drug, Korra’s been using it a lot so her withdrawals are bad, most blood benders only use it in emergencies or when they really really need to.” Kya’s shoulders dropped. 

“You never told me why you used it…” Lin closed her eyes and just enjoyed the moment of being with her love in the spirit world. 

Kya sighed and fiddled with the hem of her dress. “I was attacked, when I lived in the sand bender commune we partied almost every night and drank like crazy…” She smiled, that time in her life carried only one bad memory. 

Lin sat up and put a protective arm around her. “You can tell me anything, you know that,”

Kya leaned against Lin’s embrace. “I know…so, one day we picked up a few travelers from the misty palms oasis asking for us to bring them across the desert.” Kya thumbed a small tear in the bottom of her dress. “‘The night came and the commune started partying, and I was chatting with the travelers…one of them offered me a drink.”

Lin’s blood started to boil. “It was spiked?”

Kya nodded. “I started to realize something was wrong, I was seeing double and it was just so hard to think straight. Then suddenly there was this man pulling me away from everyone…” She sighed. “He got me away from everyone and threw me down, I was terrified…I just remember reaching out like I would if I was attacking someone with water. Only he collapsed, as I kept my hand out I could hear him trying to scream…” Kya hadn’t noticed the tears building in her eyes and tried to blink them away. “I killed him, the sand benders buried the body the next morning and never said anything more about it.” 

Lin reached up and carefully brushed away a stray tear that had fallen down Kya’s cheek. “That sounds so awful…” 

“I was more scared of what I’d done..” Kya smirked remembering all the bedtime stories her mother had told her about Old Lady Hama. “My mother warned me of blood bending when she trained me, called it ‘the water tribe’s curse on the world’. Guess it is really as evil as she built it up to be.” 

Lin couldn’t shake the memory of Korra at the kitchen table clearly sick. “I just hope Korra will come back from this, Tenzin is trying to find away to help her that doesn’t involve chi blocking the blood bending Avatar.”

“For her sake, I hope he finds it soon.” 

I

Ren rolled over in her bed, she’d called the Air temple as soon as she had gotten home and immediately passed out next to the already asleep Mako. The sun was just barely peaking through her blinds and she wondered if she could fall back asleep if only for a few more hours. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and looked at the pillow beside her expecting to see Mako. Her heart sank as she realized the other side of the bed was empty. Ren had hoped to at least spend a little bit of her day with him, she and the rest of the Kyoshi involved in the operation were to show up at midnight that night. Unfortunately she had the whole day to herself, and the idea of spending it with Mako made it a little more appealing. _But…whatever, I guess it was too good to be true._ She rolled over and tried to close her eyes and sleep, it was only then did she smell something wafting from the kitchen. Ren leapt from the bed in her black pajamas and rushed to the kitchen. 

“Morning, hope you don’t mind had to go out and get some groceries,” 

“Oh…” Ren stopped dead as she realized Mako was cooking breakfast in her kitchen. “Uh, no that’s fine.” _This is strange…nice, but…strange._

“What _do_ you eat? There was nothing but old take out in the fridge.” Mako asked stirring the eggs around in the pan that simmered nicely.

“I usually eat at HQ…actually I think this is the first time that stove has been used.” Ren’s stomach rumbled. “Smells amazing.”

“Thanks, I had to teach myself how to cook when I was watching after my brother,” He gave the eggs another stir and let them sit. “Hope you like eggs.” 

Ren nodded, she didn’t know what to make of the situation, she’d gone from stung to stunned to quickly. “I’m…um glad to see you here, I thought you left.”

“Plates?” Mako asked looking through a few of the cabinets. 

“Top left,” Ren leaned against the counter running her hands up and down her arms. Mako had elected to cook in his boxers and undershirt, if She could concentrate on that rather than the question badgering her mind she would have considered something other than breakfast. ‘ _After that I don’t know’…I want to know._ She took the plate Mako offered her and dug in to the eggs, it was a simple dish but she devoured it all the same. If anything the time she was chewing gave her mind time to assemble the sentence she needed. Ren finished her plate and waited for Mako to finish his as she got a glass of water. “So…” Her mind ground to a halttrying to speak the next words. 

Mako raised his eyebrows. “Yes?”

“What, uh,” Ren gulped down some water _for fuck sake woman you can take on five warriors in a fight but can’t ask a fucking question!_ “Whatarewe?” She spewed the sentence out and immediately took another gulp of water. 

Mako stopped in the middle of raising his fork full of eggs. “Oh…uh…”

_SHITshitshitshitshitshit._ “Look I don’t really know what you want but we’ve been hanging out more and more and I really kinda like being with you, so if you want to be something then—” Her words were cut off by Mako’s lips closing on hers. “Oh.” 

“Are Kyoshi allowed to have boyfriends?” 

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with work…” Ren’s heart flew in her chest. 

“Well I’m pretty low maintenance, and I love work as much as you do, so that shouldn’t be a problem…we’ll hardly see each other.” Mako wrapped his arms around Ren’s waist. “Guess we’ll just have to make the most of the time we do have together.” 

Ren let the flutter in her chest rise and kissed him. “I was hoping you’d say that.” 

I

Asami drove through the gates of the estate and immediately begun reconsidering her decision. She could see the massive chunks of earth dislodged and thrown from the lawn already as she took the roadster out of gear and coasted the rest of the way. _She may need your help, she’s not a monster…but she sure is acting like one._ Asami cautiously got out of the roadster and sighed at the burn marks on the front door of her childhood home. _What the fuck._ She turned the handle and opened the door, on the other side she expected more destruction. Instead Korra was there with a broom sweeping the remnants of a vase into a pan. Asami hesitated watching Korra move, every movement seemed to cause a ripple of pain. It was like watching a senior citizen waltz alone. “Did you do all this?” She asked already knowing the answer. 

“Asami!” Korra spun her body screaming at her in response. “You came!” She rushed as fast as her pained body would allow. 

Asami tensed as the woman she saw murder two men embraced her. “And you destroyed my house?”

“I…am so sorry.” Korra could feel her stomach drop like it did when she’d made her father angry as a child. “I just…was so scared, and angry…you left me and I didn’t know what to do. I felt like I was going to die last night.” Korra looked at her bare feet still sporting dried blood from the drops her knuckles had left. “I promise…I’ll clean everything up.” She hobbled back over to the broom. 

“Stop…” Asami sighed. “What was Ren doing here last night?” 

_She might be more angry about this…_ “To ask for my help…” 

_No…_ “Korra you can’t go!” 

“I’m not going to fight, I’m going there as a back up…” Korra tried to appeal. “A back up to a back up.” 

“You know it’ll too be hard to fight it,” Asami held her distance.

“I have to go if they need me.” Korra let her shoulders drop fully preparing for Asami to run. 

“Damn it Korra it could kill you!” Korra almost jumped at Asami’s sudden anger. “Don’t you see that!” She rushed the Avatar grabbing her arms. 

She froze in Asami’s grip. “I have to go.” She nearly whispered. 

“Why? The Kyoshi can handle it without you, you can’t risk it!” 

“I have to make sure it’s finished.” Korra admitted her eyes already stinging. 

“What?” Asami asked still gripping Korra’s biceps.

“This all started with the Red Lotus, tomorrow they’ll be finished, I have to make sure they’re gone. Once and for all Asami it has to end!” It was Korra’s turn to raise her voice.

“It’s not worth it!” Asami’s voice echoed off the walls of the foyer. “They aren’t worth it Korra! I can’t lose you!” Her echo shook. “None of this is worth losing you!” She broke down in Korra’s arms. “You need to stay here, with me, and not go out and risk never coming back again.” She mumbled through tears. “I won’t lose you.” 

“You won’t…” Korra held on to her trying to ease her tears. “You won’t lose me, I’ll come back.” 

“Don’t go at all.” Asami begged. 

Korra sighed knowing she couldn’t stay. “Ren wants everyone there at midnight tonight…I’ll stay till then.” 

“I…can’t make you stay can I?” Asami sighed still crying. 

“They might need me…” 

“Just…please come back to me.” Asami started to brush away tears that were still falling. “Promise you’ll come back.” 

Korra kissed her gently. “I promise…” 

Asami tasted blood on Korra’s lips, and took a step back, Korra looked like she hadn’t slept in days. “Are you okay?” 

She rubbed the back of her neck self consciously. “…No. Last night was awful, I couldn’t sleep I was puking and I couldn’t get warm no matter what I tried.” 

“You didn’t blood bend did you?” 

Korra sighed. “No, I really really wanted to, but if I had taken off on my glider I probably would’ve died…the whole night was just awful.” 

“Ren said you needed me?” She asked eyeing the dozens of small cuts on Korra’s hands.

Korra nodded. “I still do.” 

“If you really need to leave, we’ve got till midnight…anything I can do?” 

Korra really hadn’t slept for days and she’d been cleaning the estate since she stopped puking on the off chance Ren had successfully gotten in touch with Asami. “I just need to sleep, I stopped puking once the sun came up so I should be fine…can we just sleep?”

Asami breathed a sigh of relief and let her shoulders drop, she’d tried to sleep at the island but the thoughts rolling around in her mind and the hard beds made it an almost impossible task. “I thought you’d never ask.” 

I

Hama eased her healing body into her seat at the kitchen table Dr. Ahanu had made breakfast, or rather tea with a side of biscuits. She gnawed on a piece of dry biscuit trying not to grimace as she washed it down with tea. She didn’t know when the Avatar would show up, but it was eating away at her leaving her paranoid at every sound from outside the house. _She may kill me, but the Red Lotus will kill her…your death will be worth it Akuma._ She choked down another bite of the dry biscuit and dropped the remaining bite on the table. _If I’m going to die…there’s now way this is going to be my last meal._ “Doc?”

“Yes my dear?” He asked not looking up from a small leather bound book. 

Hama gritted her teeth, it unnerved her even more to see him with not a care in the world while he knew she was going to be killed by the Avatar. “Do you have anything in this kitchen besides tea?” 

“A few choice ingredients, why do you ask?” 

_If you want it done right._ She got up from her chair earning a stabbing pain from her back, the fridge was almost as old as Dr. Ahanu but when she pulled on the old fashioned handle she was happy to see a few of the ingredients she needed. “Can you run out and get a few sea prunes, onions and lychee nuts?” She sifted through the ingredients in the fridge not wanting to check the expiration dates. 

“I don’t see why not.” Dr. Ahanu closed the leather book and began walking out of the kitchen. “What will you be making?” 

“Five flavored soup, ever had it?” Hama began to stack the ingredients in her arms. 

Dr. Ahanu poked his head back into the kitchen. “My dear, I’m from the Southern Water tribe, I live for five flavored soup.” He retreated from the kitchen to change out of his pajama's and slippers. 

Hama sighed as she laid out the ingredients. _It’ll be just like mom used to make._

I

Ren sat on her couch one dao sword on her lap the other balanced against her hand and the coffee table in front of her as she sat with a sharpening stone dragging it down the edge of the blade. When she had started at the Kyoshi years ago she used to hate the sound the sharpening stone made when dragged down the side of the blade’s edge. Now the sound soothed her nerves, the same nerves that had been building with the orange light filling the sky. Dragging the stone down the side of the edge she sighed, soon she would used the blade in her hands to bring death to the Red Lotus. Ren had sharpened her blades before every major mission it was a ritual of hers, she’d trained for years and memorized every detail of the mission ahead of her. The last thing she needed to do was make sure her weapons were as ready as she was. She dragged the stone slowly down the side one last time ignoring the jiggling of keys in the front door of her apartment. Ren was looking down the edge of her sword as Mako walked in with two bags of take out from Ren’s favorite restaurant. 

“Have you been sharpening those the whole time?” Mako asked carefully placing the bags of take out on the kitchen counter. 

“They’re ready now.” Ren stood admiring her work as the orange light glinted off the blades through her window. “Did they give you those awful moon peaches?” 

“Sure did.” Mako dug through one of the bags and held up a browning moon peach. 

“Toss it here.” Ren leveled her swords in Mako’s direction.

Mako tossed the overly ripe moon peach at her and watched the show, Ren caught the moon peach on the tip of one blade and immediately sent it spinning towards the roof before slicing it in half with her second blade. Before the two halves hit the ground she again caught them on the tips of her blades immediately sending them into the air again each half coming down on the back of Ren’s swords letting her bounce them up before slicing the halves in half once again. With a swift swipe of her right sword she send the fourths flying and caught them on the side of her left sword.

“Yep, they’re ready.” Ren smiled.

“Did they teach you that at the KWG?” Mako asked as he began to unpack the various items of food. 

“No that’s just what we taught ourselves when we got bored.” Ren kept the moon peach balanced on her sword as she moved to the kitchen. She grabbed a towel to clean the moon peach bits off her sword and dumped them into the trash. Ren went back to the couch and grabbed her sheath sliding the swords into it with a click. “How did your boss react to the operation?” 

“He…wasn’t thrilled, but taking out the Red Lotus is worth it, he understands why the Kyoshi will be handling it.” Mako sat down at the table with his carton of take out and chop sticks and waited for Ren to sit across from him. 

Ren left her swords on the couch and sat down, she happily popped open the carton of noodles. “Their moon peaches are awful, but damn can they make good noodles.” She slurped in a few from her chop sticks. “Are you ready for the operation?”

“What do you mean?” Mako asked stirring the chopsticks around in the noodles.

“By the looks of the pictures they’ll be almost two hundred or more troops with anti air cannons and who knows what else. Are you ready for that?” Ren asked before taking another bite of noodles. 

Mako shrugged. “Sure, I’ve fought in quite a few battles myself, worst case scenario I’ll just stick with you.” 

Ren instantly thought of her sparing match earlier in the week, the split second of hesitation when she saw Mako enter the room. _He’s not going to like this._ “…would you hate it if you stayed on the Air ship?” 

“What?” Mako accidentally let the noodles fall from between his chopsticks.

“I need to concentrate on the mission, bringing all of my squad back home alive, I don’t think you can’t handle yourself…I just would prefer knowing you were safe during this whole shit show.” She stirred her noddles around. 

Mako took another bite of his noodles and mulled the thought over. “Will it really make a difference?”

“If it did and we didn’t I’d never forgive myself.” Ren answered gulping down a bite noodles.

“Barzoon would prefer if I was observing anyways, I’ll stay in the ship…but if shit goes sideways I’m not going to just stand by.” Mako offered. 

Ren thought it over. “Okay, deal.” She smiled _maybe it won’t be impossible to balance work and him…_

I

Korra held Asami in her arms trying to ignore the orange sun that burned the sky outside their room. She didn’t know if it would be a full moon that night but she could already feel her hand shaking. Thankfully holding Asami to kept it still enough not to be annoying. Korra’s heart dropped wondering if tonight would be as bad as the night before. She hadn't moved for a while but she could tell her body still ached from how sick she’d been. _It’ll be fine…the Kyoshi will destroy the Red Lotus, you’ll come back and Asami will forgive you._ She left herself enjoy the feeling of Asami laying against her, _just like old times_ … why _can’t we just go back to that? Just the two of us together…no Red Lotus, no chance of losing her._ Korra’s hand twitched. _And no more blood bending…_ She blinked as her eyes filled with tears. _Why can’t it just be like before._ She froze as Asami stirred in her arms and yawned. 

“You’re freezing…” Asami rolled over. “Are you sure you can do this?”

Korra blinked away the tears in her eyes. “I have to…” _It’ll be alright, the shaking will stop once I get to Hama…_ She realized she was staring Asami right in the eyes without even knowing it. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Asami pulled herself against Korra’s freezing body trying not to shiver. 

It felt like Asami was on fire. “I’m sorry Asami…I should’ve never put you through this.” The burning in her eyes returned. “After this is over, I’m going to stop. I promise. No matter what it takes.” Korra’s heart thudded as she realized the sun was beginning to set. 

_This is the first time I don’t believe her._ “I love you, please just remember that.” 

Korra carefully kissed her, her lips on Asami’s felt like she was kissing an iron but it still had that electric feeling it always had. “I’ll never forget.” 

Asami felt like she’d just kissed an ice cube, Korra felt dead in her arms. “I hope so.” It was Asami’s eye that filled with tears now. She wanted nothing more than to shake the feeling away, but it sat with the weight of an anchor on her chest. _You’re not coming back…_ She broke down and held onto the corpse beside her for dear life. 

I

Lin pulled Kya to her side as the couple walked towards the gigantic spiral of green light. While the human side of the portal was a mass of rubble and vines, the spirit side was a bizarre landscape of red grass and gnarled leafless trees sprouting sporadically through the hills. Though the landscape was beautiful Lin could hardly keep herself from staring at Kya. _I’m going to be happy with you…forever._ As the thought crossed her mind she wanted to sprint out to one of the nearby trees to knock on it’s trunk. “I’ll be back soon.” 

“Not soon enough.” Kya chided holding onto Lin as Lin did her.

“It’ll be worth it, the Red Lotus will be finished, and I’ll be able to start figuring out how to get here permanently.” Lin imagined the moment where she would never have to be without Kya ever again and smiled. _It’ll be like a dream._

Kya sighed. “Revenge is not the answer Lin…but kick their asses for me.”

“I will.” Lin kissed the head full of greyed hair as the Spirit Portal loomed at them both, _I’m going to make them pay._

“You need to keep an eye on Korra, if she blood bends too much…it will kill her.” Kya was sad to put a damper on their mood, but it was vital information. 

“Ok I will.” Lin said half meaning it, _If she’s in full rage mode blood bending in the Avatar state? Not getting in the way of that._ “She hopefully won’t even be in the fight.” 

“It’s Korra we’re talking about, she used to fight snowmen.” She smirked recalling the story from a lengthy letter from her mother. 

“Korra will do fine…she always does.” Lin frowned as the spirit portal had gotten too close. “Well…I love you.” Lin kissed Kya on the lips and let it linger. 

“Love you too.” Kya lunged at Lin and pulled her against herself kissing her with everything she had. 

Lin was taken by surprise but eventually melted into the kiss, she didn’t want to break it but she knew she had too. “I’ll kick their asses for you, don’t worry. 

“You better!” Kya smiled and held Lin’s hand as she stepped into the portal.

Lin felt herself fade away, not matter how hard she tried she couldn’t hold onto Kya’s hand. The sinister destroyed and rotten corpse of Republic City appeared in front of her eyes causing her to sigh. Out of habit she checked her watch. _One hour till show time._ She rolled her neck and slowly began making her way out of the crater. 

I

Ren tightened down the straps to her armor and triple checked her gear, _three blinders, three frag grenades, one radio, and two swords._ She grabbed both swords off her desk and sheathed them behind her back. _One dagger._ She picked up the long dagger off her desk and sheathed it in the slot attached to her boot. Taking a quick glance at her reflection in the case holding the old Kyoshi armor She turned and inspected the members of her squad waiting at attention. each armed to the teeth and ready to destroy the Red Lotus. Her boots thudded on the floor as she closed the distance between her and her squad. She walked up to Kirā first who towered over her, Ren forgot her exact height from her file but she was well over six foot tall. Kirā didn’t need the katana on her back to look menacing in Kyoshi armor, but it solidified the effort. Next to her in line stood Eri and Kiko, armed similarly to Ren save for Kiko with a bundle of explosives strapped to her hip for emergency demolition and instead of Dao swords they had opted for katanas. The two next to them Setchi and Arashi were shorter than Kirā by a foot but what they lacked in height they made up for in skill. Setchi was one of the few earth benders the in the KWG Ren had picked her on her ability to scan rooms and buildings using her bending. Arashi, the greenest of the squad stood firm but the look on her face reminded Ren of herself on her first mission. She let her boots thud on the floor as she walked the short distance. She grabbed Arashi by the straps of her armor and gave it a pull checking the fit, she could see the surprise in her face. “May I see your swords?” 

“Roger Sergeant.” Arashi answered a little uncertain, she unsheathed her dao swords and held them by the base of the blade for Ren to take. 

Ren took them and turned around slashing the air a few times checking the balance, she held the swords and inspected the edge. _Almost as good as mine…_ She clasped the two halves back together and handed them to Arashi, she let her grab them but didn’t let go. “You know how to use them?” 

“Roger Sergeant.” 

Ren let go of the swords and placed her hand on her shoulder. “Then you’ll do fine.” She stepped back to address the entire squad. “Let’s go to war.” She smiled as the walls of her office nearly shook as the members of her squad sounded off with a thunderous, “Roger Sergeant.”.

I

Korra leaned on her glider for support and her free arm around her stomach and tried to calm herself, _It’ll be fine, only a few more hours till I can blood bend again_. It nearly broke her heart to leave Asami, whatever she tried she couldn’t console her enough to stop her crying. She’d flown to the KWG on her glider and immediately was ushered into the middle of the headquarters and from there given a seat on a covered cargo truck with twenty Kyoshi sitting on benches lining either side. They said nothing but she could tell they had questions, it was just the end of summer so the parka she wore looked painfully out of place but it was all that kept Korra from shaking. The glider propped her up in her seat as the cargo truck bounced along the road, she’d lost track of how long it been but hoped they’d be at the airfield soon. _It’ll be over soon, once and for all, they’ll be finished…_ the thought warmed her ever so slightly. She sighed and tried to still the fear rising in her stomach, _I’ll make it, I’ve just got to make it to Hama then I’ll be fine…if I really need to there will be the entire Red Lotus at my finger tips._ When she’d arrived at the KWG Ren had met her on the way to the trucks and told her she’d be briefed on the plan once airborne. While Korra was usually impressed by Ren’s planning she was a little dismayed at being a back up. As if to remind her why her stomach stabbed at her causing her to flinch. She looked up carefully letting the hood of her parka hide the pained look on her face as she tried to see if any of the Kyoshi in the truck had noticed. _Keep it together._ If they had noticed they didn’t say anything, it was like riding in a truck full of statues, only each statue had it’s own demonic war painted face and array of weaponry. Korra wished she’d counted the trucks but she knew they were bringing an army, _the Red Lotus won’t stand a chance._ She breathed a sigh of relief as the truck began to slow. The truck jostled as it went over a bump, Korra could see out of the opening in the back of the truck that they’d just gone through a check point. The truck veered off and slowed to a stop. Two loud thuds from the driver’s cab and the Kyoshi that had sat as still as statues burst to life exiting the truck within a minute. Korra took a deep breath and shuffled out of the truck hopping down onto the tarmac. It was almost too much to take in, beside her truck were five more, down the runway a few hundred feet lit up by massive spotlights were seven monstrous Warships already running their engines. She could see the cargo doors were wide open and ready to load up with their deadly payload. Korra looked around trying to spot Ren but all the Kyoshi blended together as they ran back and forth unloading from the trucks. 

“What the fuck are you doing here?” 

She tensed and dropped the hood of her parka. “Oh…hey Mako.” 

“You shouldn’t be here.” Mako crossed his arms, _why didn’t Ren mention she was coming?_

“I’m back up…look Mako I’m sorry I—”

“Sorry you blood bent me?” Mako didn’t have enough venom to put in his words.

“Yes…but I’m stopping. Once this is over, I’m done with it.” Korra offered. 

“Yeah, right.”

“Oh good, you two found each other,” Lin marched up through the commotion of Kyoshi. 

“You’re okay with this?” Mako asked incredulously.

“Okay with having an emergency plan? Sure, why not?” Lin shrugged her metal clad shoulders. “Look I realize you two are not on the best of terms but in case you haven't noticed,” Lin pointed towards the Warships as their engines loudened. “This shit’s about to get real, so save your bitching and get your game faces on.” 

Ren went wide eyed as she spotted the trio from across the line of trucks. _Fuck…well he would’ve found out sooner or later._ “You three, follow me.” She yelled over the engines not giving Mako a chance to accuse her of lying to him. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure they were following as she rounded her way around to the front of the trucks. 

Korra raised her eyebrows as she saw all the Kyoshi standing in formation like a group of well armed demons. _Well…war it is then._

Ren walked to the the middle of the formation and hopped up on the hood of the nearest truck. She cleared her throat and looked out at the hundred or so Kyoshi. “All of you know why you’re here. Orders directly from General Hageshi to seek out and destroy the Red Lotus once and for all. The organization’s sole purpose is to bring chaos to the world, its efforts include trying to kill the Avatar,”

Korra shivered. _Almost did._

“Successfully assassinating the President of Republic City, and detonating a spirit vine bomb in the heart of down town.” Ren paused. “These terrorists have destroyed lives and killed hundreds of our fellow citizens. They will pay the price today, you are the best squads the Kyoshi have, you were picked for a reason. You were chosen to give the Red Lotus a lesson, today is the day we teach them what real chaos looks like!” 

Lin smirked as the formation cheered. 

“LOAD UP!” Ren barked and hopped down from the hood of the truck as the formation broke off into their squads each heading for their designated Warship. 

“You three will be with me and my squad.” Ren waved to her squad to follow which had stood fast to follow her as she and the trio began the long walk to the warships. 

As Mako got closer the size of the Warships hit him, Asami’s airships were state of the art and still huge. The old Fire Nation warships were relics that had been mutated by the Kyoshi. The engines’ down draft hit them like a wave as they neared the loading bay. He glanced at Korra through the wind. _I hope you know what you’re doing Korra._

Lin brought her arm up to shield her face from the downdraft and tried to keep pace with Ren. _Well she seems ready, and good she brought a giant_. Lin snarked as Kirā led the squad beside Ren. She caste a curious glance at Korra who was holding onto her Parka and glider for dear life. “You alright?” She yelled over the engines. 

Korra felt like she was turning to ice with the breeze from the engines cutting through her parka. “I’ll be fine!” _Once I get Hama’s heart in my hands._

Mako looked up at the massive rudder of the Warship as they passed beneath it and stepped uneasily onto the ramp leading into the hull. Finally they were out of the wind. He sped up and caught Ren’s elbow. “Why didn’t you tell me Korra was coming?” He kept his voice hushed. 

Lin rolled her eyes. _Some liaison he is._ “Korra…” 

She clenched her teeth as her stomach stabbed at her again. “What?”

“Kya wanted me to look after you…promise you won’t do anything too crazy? It’s for your own good.” 

“Fine…I’m only back up remember?” Korra waved her off as they entered the hull lined with benches full of Kyoshi. She could see the jump cables latched onto the side of the hull and carefully eyed each battle ready warriors sitting on the bench. _Maybe they really can handle it by themselves._

“Not now.” Ren glared at Mako as he thought of a rebuttal. She lead the trio and her squad up the metal staircase and through the hallway to the bridge of the Warship. The crew were waiting for her. “Captain.”

“Sergeant Ren, nice to see you again.” The unarmored Kyoshi smiled through her warpaint and bowed. “Avatar, glad to fly you.” 

Korra returned the bow her hand twitching as she held them together. “I’ll need to make a stop soon.” 

Ren stopped her. “He’s already tracking, Captain, the cottage on the way, we’ll take a short halt there before continuing onto the main objective. Now, let’s get these ladies airborne!”

The Captain nodded and took her position at the wheel of the ship. She grabbed a hand radio wired to the complicated control panel in front of her and held the button down. “All ships all ships! This is the Warship Tylee, we have been cleared for take off! Follow the order of march.” 

Ren waited for the Captain to pull the lever sounding a loud siren signaling the rest of the ship to ready for take off. “You three can sit over here.” She pointed to a long bench beside a large map on the metal wall of the cabin and small table pushed beneath it. 

Mako quickly took his seat not minding that Korra was sitting next to him only thankful to have a seat as the engines roared outside the thick hull and the ship slowly began to rise into the air. “How long till we get there?” 

“About three hours, I’ll brief you on three on the plan now.” Her boot clad feet clanked on the metal floor as she walked over to the map. She unsheathed her sword to use as a pointer. “This is Camp Laghima, it’s settled into a mountain side at the end of a valley, we have no intel on the inside of the mountain. The intel we do have is what’s outside of it.” She grabbed a few of the photographs. “These were taken by our high altitude airship over the camp, so far the bastards have brought out eight anti air cannons and by the looks of it they’ve been massing troops. While our equipment isn’t good enough to get an exact count, a rough estimate puts them at about two hundred.” 

“…Two hundred?” Mako had to keep his jaw from dropping. 

“It’s an even fight.” Ren said sternly. 

“So what’s the plan?” Lin had zero time for their lover’s quarrel. 

Ren returned to the map. “Okay, plan A, six of our best sappers dropped down on gliders from the high altitude ship last night. They’ve been making their way close enough to plant explosive charges on the cannons. If they’re successful we deploy and take the fight directly to the Red Lotus. First platoon will take the fortifications on the left side of the fortress, second the ones in the middle, third the ones on the right. If everything goes to plan we roll right through the bastards. My squad and Lin will land farther forward then the rest of the Kyoshi and lead the charge into the fortress itself. The leader of the Red Lotus is rumored to be on site today, we’ll track him down and take him out. ” 

“Plan B?” Lin asked looking over the map from her spot on the bench. 

“Plan B, the high altitude airship has three spirit vine bombs on board, if the sappers fail, they’ll drop the vines and take out the canons. Then the rest of the plan stays the same. After dropping us the Warships will monitor the sky and make sure no one escapes.” Ren answered and sheathed her swords. 

Mako scratched his head. “If plan B fails?” 

Korra’s concentration on keeping her shivering under control broke as Mako spoke up. “I’m plan C.”

I

Hama scooped the last spoon full of soup into her mouth and savored every last drop. She spent her last hours working away on the soup, and for her efforts, it was exactly like her mother used to make. She leaned back in her chair and shut her eyes ignoring Dr. Ahanu’s spoon clanking on his bowl. _Not a bad way to end it…_ tears burned her shut eyes as it sunk in. _I’m going to die tonight._ She let the tears fall not caring if Dr. Ahanu noticed, he seemed to care little. _It’ll be worth it, I die but I take the Avatar with me…_ she tried to convince herself that it would be worth it but she couldn’t. She let herself sob at the table while Dr. Ahanu continued to eat. 

“Marvelous soup my dear…” He said before clearing his place. 

“Fuck you.” Hama said with her head buried in her arms. _So much for being a therapist you fucking creep._

“I’m sorry, I wish I could help…” Dr. Ahanu offered but only half meaning it as he washed his bowl in the sink and left it there. “You’ve managed to anger possibly the most powerful blood bender ever, not much I can do besides get out of the way.” 

“I KNOW!” Hama screamed through tears. “Just leave me alone!” She rushed out of the kitchen and threw the front door open storming out on to the porch before taking a seat on the steps. She’d never expected her life to end, let alone be ended by the Avatar, the life of an assassin was always going to be a short one. Hama felt like she’d cheated death so many times, only to be cornered at last by someone she never saw coming. _Just please, let her die too…please._ She nearly jumped out of her skin as the steady hum of airships began to echo off the mountain. In the night sky they looked like dark storm clouds, but Hama knew what they were, and who they carried. _No…not yet…not yet!_

I

Korra looked down on the cottage from the bridge of the Warship, Lin, Ren, and Mako all sat on the bench. “Ren, you said they began gathering their forces once I got word the leader would be there?”

“Sure did,” Ren checked her watch. “Don’t take too long.”

Korra let her hand twitch freely. “This won’t take long at all.” She left her glider leaning on the control panel and took off her parka, she couldn’t hide how much she wanted this. She let her parka drop on the ground and began the short walk to the cargo bay. The metal innards of the airship hissed and hummed as she made her way down the hall. Trying not to take the steps in twos as she entered the cargo bay full of Kyoshi she looked for the jump master. “Can you open the door?” A lightly armored Kyoshi, who was the only one standing, nodded and pulled a lever causing an alarm to sound. Korra walked to the edge which was lined with black and yellow stripes. She could already feel the warmth Hama would bring her. The massive doors finished opening with a metallic clunk and she jumped into the open air. The drop was longer than she expected but she hit the ground like a bomb crumpling the earth around her using her earth bending to cushion her landing. There was no moon in the sky, Dr. Ahanu’s cottage looked like a haunted house as Korra walked across the soft grass towards it. She sighed in pleasure as she felt Hama’s panicked heart beat already. “Don’t make me come looking for you!”

Hama brushed away some of last tears she would ever cry. “I’m right here…” She stood shaking in fear and stepped off the porch. She could only see Korra’s silhouette in the dark of the night, but she knew she was seeing her killer. “Well, want me to lead you to him?”

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary.” Korra couldn’t stand to wait any longer, she shot her hand out and grabbed Hama’s panicking heart. She ignored the scream she caused and focused on the wave of pleasure hitting her and the pain in her stomach immediately disappearing. As she held her heart a warmth burned through her body completely ridding her body of any shivering. Korra kept a firm grip and began to close the distance. “You’re a traitor…you really thought you could set a trap for me and I wouldn’t know?” 

Hama could barely do anything but scream, but she forced her voice out. “The trap is set…either way.” 

Korra screamed and shot her hand to the side throwing Hama through the air. She twisted her hand causing Hama to scream before she slammed into the side of the cottage. “Isn’t it!” She shot her hand the other way before Hama had a chance to recover sending her sprawling back onto the lawn. 

Hama tried to catch her breath but she could already taste the blood in her mouth. Korra wasn’t holding anything back. _She’s really going to kill me…this is it…_

Korra gripped and twisted with both hands causing Hama to contort painfully against herself. “Too bad, because instead of a trap, all you’ve done is gathered all the Red Lotus in one place for me.” She twisted until Hama screamed. “Now I’m going to destroy the Red Lotus once,” She ripped her hands through the air rolling throwing Hama back and forth across the lawn. “and for all.” Korra’s shoulders shook with how good Hama’s heart pounding under her control felt. “Starting with you.” Moving her hands she forced Hama to sit up and look at her. 

Hama spat on the lawn clearing her mouth of blood. “I hope…” 

Korra brought her hands in dragging Hama to her, she let go of her heart and grabbed her by her shirt. “What was that?” She brought her head in close so she could see the fear in Hama’s eyes. 

“I hope they kill you slowly…” 

Korra screamed in anger letting her breath ignite and explode into a jet of fire engulfing Hama’s head. Korra dropped her hands away as her breath stopped burning and Hama stopped screaming. _One less Red Lotus._ She brushed her hands off and held out her hand looking for signs of shaking. _That should do it._

“You shouldn’t have killed her…” Dr. Ahanu who had arrived in the heat of Hama’s demise said from the porch. 

“Why not? She was an assassin and a Red Lotus member.” Korra offered as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the already ebbing pleasure coursing through her veins. 

“I cannot help but feel Korra that you have misunderstood my guidance.” He continued standing on the porch in his pajamas. “Instead of controlling it and mastering it…I fear you’ve let it master you.” 

“Shut up Doc.” Korra tried to ignore him and enjoy the warmth. 

“I’m trying to help Korra…” Dr. Ahanu sighed. 

“I don’t need you help.” She tried to savor the last wave of pleasure. 

“I…am concerned you need more help than even I can give you.” Dr. Ahanu eyed the smoking corpse on his lawn. 

“SHUT UP!” Without even thinking about it Korra gripped his heart and threw him backwards into his house. “I don’t need help!” She seethed as she stormed up the steps and into the house. “I AM IN CONTROL!” She felt herself tense under a powerful grip and forced herself to walk through it. “That was a mistake.” Her hand twitched as she closed the distance between the door and where Dr. Ahanu had landed. 

I

“What the fuck?” Mako yelled as he watched a burst of flame erupt on the dark lawn. _She killed her! She just fucking killed her!_ He looked back at Lin who sat on the bench almost asleep. “Chief, Korra just killed someone!” 

“She was supposed to pick up her contact, a Red Lotus member…” Ren walked nonchalantly over to the window and looked out onto the lawn. _Nice one Korra, he’ll never let this one go._ “If I had to guess, the only Red Lotus member willing to give up information on their organization would have to either be a complete traitor—”

“Or someone on the run from them.” Lin finished not moving from her attempted slumber.

“Organizations like the Red Lotus tend to be blood in blood out, only way they wanted her dead is if she failed.” Ren concluded. “And the only failed assassination was Asami’s and the chairmen and woman…”

“You’re okay with this?” Mako felt like he was going insane. 

“Korra killed the Assassin who likely killed president Raiko.” Lin said from behind closed eyes. “Case closed.” 

“She could’ve captured her! We could have brought her in!” Mako yelled.

“For what!” Lin finally stirred. “So she could rot in a prison cell while President Raiko and all the others she killed lay in the ground? She did us both a favor, if you’re not okay with what she just did you should’ve stayed behind in Republic City.” Lin spewed before taking a deep breath and trying to sleep again. 

Ren raised an eyebrow as the cottage down below erupted in flames. _Okayyyy well… A for effort Korra…_ She was beginning to wonder how controllable plan C would be. “She’s headed back.” 

Mako returned to the window only to see the burning cottage, he sighed and leaned forward on the control panel trying to figure out what had happened to his long time friend. _Maybe I should’ve stayed back…_ He didn’t move even as the bulkhead door to the bridge swung open and Korra walked in. 

“Let’s get this show on the road.” Korra offered as she walked over to her glider, she eyed her parka but realized immediately with how warm she felt it wasn’t needed. 

“You murdered them…” Mako lifted his head from the console and saw the cottage now fully engulfed in flames. 

_He’s right you know…_ “She was a Red Lotus Assassin that killed the president, and he…” _Was a friend._ “He attacked me.” 

“I don’t know who you are anymore.” Mako retorted before walking over to the bench and slumping down in his spot. 

Korra clenched her glider and looked at Ren. “Do you need me?” 

_I’m staying far away from this one._ “Uh, no” She walked over to the table and grabbed a wireless radio pack from underneath it and gave it to her. “I’ll radio if I need you, we should be there in a few hours…” She glanced over at Mako who was already looking pissed. “If you want to be alone there’s an observation deck on top of the ship.” 

Korra nodded. “I’ll find my way there.” She leaned over to get a look at the burning cottage as the engines of the Warship picked up and roared. The pleasure still radiated through her body, she hadn’t felt this good since her second mission with Ren. Korra adjusted the strap for the radio over her shoulder and strolled out of the bridge. _‘I fear you’ve let it master you’_ Korra held her hand even though it wasn’t twitching and took a deep breath. _He was wrong…you’ve got everything under control…just relax…it’s almost over now._

 

I

Korra sat holding her knees to her chest, her glider laid next to her on the roof of the Warship. No matter how warm the blood bending kept her, Mako’s words still chilled her thoughts. _‘I don’t know who you are anymore.’_ She sighed. _I haven't changed Mako, I just finally have the power to stop the ones I love from getting hurt._ Immediately her mind brought the memory of Asami and how she left her crying at the estate. _I had to leave, if I don’t make sure the Red Lotus is destroyed they’ll keep hurting people and causing imbalance. Asami…she’ll get over it. I’ll fix everything when I’m done here._ She looked out from the Warship as it began to fall slowly towards the a massive blanket of clouds, as the Warship broke through it and dragged her through the cloud cover she began to see the mountains lining a long and winding valley. 

“All ships, keep it close and low, at the end of this valley is our objective maintain the element of surprise till the last possible moment.” Ren instructed over the radio. 

Korra watched as the entire flotilla of ships followed Ren’s orders and broke through the clouds into the valley alongside the Warship beneath her. _Once I’m done here, I’ll go back and fix everything…all of it._ She looked down at her hand for once it wasn’t twitching. 

“Broken arrow!” A voice screamed over the radio. “Recon elements have been discovered! Oh sh—” The radio went dead but the whole valley echoed with an explosion.

“All ships, all ships, full speed ahead, our cover has been blown.” Ren’s voice echoed over the radio.

Korra stood up on the top of the Warship and grabbed her glider, she couldn’t hear its powerful engines shoving the massive ship through the air but the whole hull of the ship vibrated beneath her feet as it began to speed up. Replacing the engines was the roar of wind around her threatening to push her backwards off her perch. _This is where it all ends._ She could tell the air that was now rushing around her was cold but her body was still radiating warmth from ending Hama’s life which kept her warm enough not to care. Korra eyed the mountains to the far right of the Warship as they curved into the valley and felt as the ship beneath her shifted to fly around the mountain in front of them. _‘Just…please come back to me.’_ Asami’s voice echoed in her head. _I love you Asami._ As the massive flotilla of Warships drifted sideways around the mountain she started to be able to see the end of the valley. _So that’s camp Laghima_. As they moved she made out the details, a massive fortress carved straight into the mountain at the end of the valley flanked on either side by equally massive statues carved into the rock. The whole flotilla, consisting of seven massive Warships flying in a low formation, began to speed up charging the fortress with engines roaring. The mountains in the valley echoed the alarm bells as the warships headed their way. Korra unholstered the radio in a satchel on her side. “Ren, what about plan B?” 

“They’re over head now.”Ren responded from the bridge inside the ship. 

Korra heard a volley of explosions and realized the cannons at Camp Laghima had begun to fire. She readied herself to deflect any incoming bombs but she watched as they all fell short of the flotilla’s forward line.

Ren’s voice crackled over the radio. “Firing in three, two, one!” 

Korra squinted looking in the sky above the camp for the small metal containers that were plan B. A different kind of explosion came from the camp at the end of the valley. _Combustion bender._ The entire sky went purple as the spirit vine bomb exploded high above the camp. _Shit._

“What the fuck was that?” Ren barked into the radio as the concussive wave from the blast tapped the ship. 

“They’ve got a combustion bender, they knocked the bomb out of the air before it could do any damage.” Korra reported. 

“Repeat last coordinates and fire again.” Ren called over the radio. 

Korra gripped the hand mic in her hands and raised it to her mouth. “Don’t fire again. Ren, I’m going to take care of them.” Korra’s hand shook idly at her side as she dropped the the radio satchel on the Warship’s roof with a clunk. With a flick of her wrist she deployed her glider and broke into a run. She could hear Ren’s protests over the radio but only for a moment before she dove off the front of the Warship and took off on her glider. _This is where it all ends._


	22. Death of the Legend Part 2

Korra brought her glider into a steep dive gaining speed as the floor of the valley rushed up to meet her. As she neared the ground she pulled out of the dive and blasted fire from her feet channeling her speed and sending her shooting through the cloud cover over the valley. She scanned the sky for the airship as she raced upwards. Korra would’ve let her jaw drop if she wasn’t flying upwards, the high altitude Airship was just that, high altitude. When she’d first learned how to use her glider Korra had tried to see how high she could get and she’d never gone as high as the airship seemed to be. _I’m ending this._ She blasted more fire from her feet gaining more speed and slowly closing the distance on the airship. As she gained altitude she could see ice beginning to form on the tip of her glider. _Almost there._ The Airship was growing larger and larger as she flew closer and closer, it wasn’t a Warship, it resembled a much newer unarmored model like the ones Asami owned. Her ascent began to slow as her glider gathered more and more ice. The Airship was close, but not close enough. In an instant she took a deep breath and channeled Raava’s energy. With her eyes glowing she collapsed her glider and threw it like a spear at the bridge’s main window. Fire exploded from her hands and feet shooting her the rest of the distance headed straight for the bridge. At the last second she brought her hands up and crash landed inside. Ignoring the stinging in her arms from landing on shattered glass she brushed herself off and grabbed her glider. She looked around the bridge to see a stunned crew. All clad in parkas and snow pants. “Who’s in charge?” She asked causing her breath to show in the air. 

A stunned Kyoshi raised her hand. “Avatar Korra I presume?” 

Korra nodded. “I need you to get everyone off this ship, you have gliders the crew can use?” 

“Roger that, what is your plan?” 

“I’m going to blow up those cannons.” Korra answered as she eyed the blood dripping down her arms. “Now abandon ship!” 

The Captain rushed over to the control panel and mashed the button for the intercom. “Abandon ship! Abandon ship! All crew Abandon ship!” Next she pulled a lever causing an alarm to sound across the whole ship. 

Korra grabbed the Captain’s elbow stopping her. “This airship is directly above the cannons?” 

“Yes, why what are you…oh.” 

“Exactly, where are the spirit vine bombs?” Korra asked. 

“Follow me.”

Korra followed the Captain through a hallway much like the one in the Warship, only this one lead to a much larger staircase exactly like the one in Asami’s ship. Over the open bay doors, through which the crew was already jumping through gliders in hand, suspended on cables was a thick steel cage. The remaining two spirit vine bombs were held inside ready to drop at the Captains command. “Is everyone off the ship?” 

The Captain peeked over the edge and counted the gliders slowly flying away. “Everyone except me.” 

Korra walked over to the row of gliders mounted on the wall and grabbed one for the Captain. “Get going, they’ll need all the help they can get down there, make sure to get the gliders out of range of this thing.” 

“Good luck.” The Captain offered before deploying her glider and jumping out of the Airship. 

_I’m going to need it._ Korra sprinted back up the staircase through the hall into the bridge and quickly found the radio. “Ren, this is Korra, hold off the attack…I’m going to clear those cannons.” 

“All ships hold your distance! Do not go within range of the cannons!” Ren’s voice barked over the radio. 

Korra smiled and headed back out into the hallway and raced down the stairs. The hangar was empty, it took her only a moment to find the controls to close the cargo doors. As they began to close she ran to the opposite end of the hangar where a ladder scaled the distance between the floor and the inner hull of the ceiling. She took a deep breath and started climbing the ladder keeping her glider tucked against her in the crook of her arm. _This is crazy…_ Korra sighed as she scaled the ladder. _But it’s better than leading one hundred Kyoshi to their deaths._ She reached the top and pulled the large handle locking the bulkhead into place. As she lifted it the freezing air tried its best to knock her off the ladder. With a heavy thunk the bulkhead fell backwards and locked itself onto the roof of the airship. _I really really should have asked for one of their parkas…_ She held herself as she made her way to the center of the Airship’s roof. _Okay…here it goes._ Korra picked out the three engines on either side and took a deep breath, as her eyes began to glow she shot her arms forward and dragged them back. Each engine screeched in resistance as she metal bent them off their mounts, they burst into flame and plummeted away from the ship. Slowly the ship began to drop. Korra let the glowing in her eyes die out and got into a strong horse stance. Punching out and ripping her hand back she tore a long strip of metal off the roof of the Airship. As she kept her bending’s grip on the metal strip she broke into a run causing the metal to follow her in symphony of horrific metallic screeching. As she neared the end of the ship, it began to plummet through the sky. Feeling almost weightless Korra ran to the center of the now crashing Airship. She readied her glider and waited. As the ship picked up speed she had to crouch just to stay on her feet. In seconds the cloud cover of the valley rushed by her. _NOW!_ She jumped and deployed her glider flying fast away from the falling ship. Blasting fire from her feet trying to gain as much distance as she could before it hit its target. For a second as she flew everything went silent, then an all too familiar sound ripped through the valley followed by an explosion. Instinctively she collapsed her glider. The shockwave hit her like a train tossing her through the air like a rag doll. She began to tumble through the air heading for the ground like a rock. _SHIT._ Korra fumbled for the glider’s release button trying to pin it down as she tumbled towards the ground. Her thumb finally pushed it deploying the glider at the last possible second nearly ripping her arm out of it’s socket. Her grip gave way and she fell the last few feet crashing hard into the ground. Before she could even cry out in pain a thick dust cloud covered followed the shockwave. 

I

Ren stood mouth wide open as the smoldering hulk of the high altitude airship came shooting through the cloud cover and crashed straight in the center of the line of cannons. _Well that’ll—_ she shielded her eyes as the end of the valley exploded in a bright purple light. Squinting so the light didn’t blind her she could just make out the small shape of the Avatar out running the explosion on her glider. Ren watched as the shockwave threw the avatar but immediately she knew what she had to do. Making a dash for the radio on the control panel she mashed the button down. “ATTACK!” She knew the message was heard when the Warships roared to life breaking their line and heading to their designated drop zones. She turned and saw Mako wide eyed still watching the dust cloud caused by the explosion and Lin pulling a radio out from beneath the table. “Lin are you ready?” 

_‘Kick their asses for me’_ “Ready when you are.” 

“Then let’s go.” Ren let Lin go first and started to head down the hallway. 

“Ren wait,” 

She turned and immediately felt Mako’s lips on hers for the briefest of moments. _I really hope no one saw that._ She thought but couldn’t keep the warm burst of happiness in her chest down. 

“Be careful down there.” Mako cautioned. 

“I will.” Ren nodded and turned running to rejoin Lin who was already halfway down the steps into the hangar. Her squad was at the ready to jump cables already attached to their armor. Ren hooked her own cable and pulled on Lin’s to make sure she’d attached it right. She looked quickly over her squad. “Everyone on stay on your toes, play it safe and deadly.” The light in the hangar turned green and the buzzer sounded. Ren jumped and instantly went weightless, knowing not hoping her squad had followed her into battle once again. 

I

Mako waited for Ren to disappear down into the hangar before heading back to the bridge, he could see the dust beginning to settle but knew that the real fight hadn’t even begun. He turned to the Captain. “Can that radio reach Air Temple Island?” 

“We’re in a valley so it’s anyone’s guess. You’re welcome to try.” 

Mako snatched the radio up. “Air Temple Island, this is Detective Mako,” He waited a few seconds and heard only static. _Come on…come on!_ “Air Temple Island this is Detective Mako, Do you read? I have an urgen—”

“Mako? It’s Tenzin, has something happened?” 

“You need to get here as fast as possible, Korra needs help.” He lifted the button on the transceiver and looked at the Captain. “I need the coordinates to this valley.” before Tenzin could reply the Captain handed Mako a sheet of paper with the coordinates circled. Mako spewed off the coordinates to Tenzin in a hurry.

“I’ll be there as soon as possible.” 

Mako flinched as an explosion sounded from the end of the valley. “Hurry…she might not have much time.” 

I

Ren hit the ground running and heard the landings of her squad and Lin behind he as she sprinted towards the battle unfurling in the shadow of Camp Laghima. Because of the smoke and dust from the explosion the Captain had dropped them far from their intended drop zone. She was running as fast as she could, almost too fast to notice the blue glider broken in half in a pile of dirt and rubble. Ren slid to a stop and immediately began looking around, the explosion had blown away all the reinforcements and cover the Red Lotus had prepared sending it sky high before crashing back down onto their landing zone. As she caught her breath Setchi came running up. “Scan the ground, see if you can find her.” 

“Roger,” Setchi stomped her bare foot onto the ground and closed her eyes sensing every inch of the ground around them. “She’s behind there!” She pointed to a large pile of rubble. 

Ren charged and sprinted straight up to the top of the pile of rubble as she crested it she could see Korra out cold on the ground. _We still need you in this fight._ She ran down the pile of rubble and dropped to a knee beside the unconscious Avatar. The dust cloud had coated her entire body in a thick dusting of earth. The bits of rock and shrapnel had made little tears and holes through out her outfit. Ren checked for a pulse and sighed in relief. “Korra!” She shook her by the shoulders. “Wake up!” 

The ringing in her head was louder than anything as she opened her eyes and let them adjust to the light. “Ren?” Her own voice sounded like it was a million miles away but as she sat up and saw the ongoing battle in the distance everything clicked into place. Korra gave her head a shake and stood, immediately her knees gave out sending her back down on the ground. 

“Lin, stay with her till she’s ready to fight! Meet us at the doors to the fortress!” She took off in a sprint straight towards the horde of Red Lotus warriors facing off against the best of the best Kyoshi. The adrenaline pumping through her veins was the best feeling in the world to her. Unsheathing her swords as she ran she chose a lone Red Lotus fighter who was busy launching boulders at Kyoshi behind a smoking piece of airship. He never saw her coming. 

I

Asami sat with red eyes staring at the electro gauntlet in front of her on the kitchen table. It had taken her more motivation than she had just to simply get dressed in her usual garb. Even her leather jacket hung open, not caring enough to make the effort to button it. _She’s not coming back…you might as well start accepting that._ Asami had already cried all she could, so instead she slammed her fists down on the kitchen table. _She’ll survive! She has to survive! She always survives!_ The electro gauntlet sat staring at her like a coiled rat viper. Asami couldn’t keep her eyes on it let alone put it on. _It’s the only way she’ll survive…you have to do it._ The glove taunted her. _You’ve waited too long, she’s already gone for good._ Worse still Asami’s mind conjured up a horrible day dream of her using the electro gauntlet on Korra and failing. _She’d tear you apart just like she did those two men… ‘I’m doing this to protect you, and now you betray me?’_ She shuddered in her seat. _Korra would do it for you…you know she would._ Asami flinched breaking her stare on the gauntlet as a phone began to ring elsewhere in the estate. _Well…this is it. This is the call._ Asami rose out of her seat like someone at a funeral, not bothering too hurry as the phone rang loudly. _The longer it rings the longer she’ll be alive…_ Asami sighed as she realized it was the phone in the main foyer. The ringing echoed off the marble flooring that still bore the dust and debris of Korra’s rage. The phone stared at her even more menacingly than the gauntlet had. _Pick it up…pick. It. Up._ She grabbed it like a hot piece of iron. “H-Hello?” 

“Asami! I’m coming to get you, Korra’s in trouble. Mako radioed from a Kyoshi Warship, said things have already gotten out of hand.” Tenzin spoke rapidly into the phone. 

“What are we going to do?”

“Everything we can.” Tenzin sighed. “It’s what she’d do for us, I’ll be headed your way in ten minutes.” 

Asami stood still as the phone went dead and it slowly hummed in her ear, she let it drop form her hand and left it swinging. She walked back to the kitchen and looked down a the gauntlet on the table. Even after slipping it on it felt like a poisonous snake. She flexed her hand and the glove crackled to life. She took a deep breath, e _verything we can._

I

Ren dove behind cover as another volley of flame shot at her narrowly missing her, she’d only just made it to where the rest of her squad was taking refuge. They’d fought like demons but somehow the Red Lotus kept coming. Ren looked up as she caught her breath, they were in the shadow of the fortress. _So close._ She sat up keeping herself low and surveyed the scene, the whole area was thick with smoke from the smoldering wreckage of the airship. Aside from the few on going fights between bending Red Lotus and Kyoshi, she could see very little. She could hear clanking of weapons and screaming. _Concentrate on your mission._ Clocking the massive front doors of the fortress that rose above the smoke the gears in her mind spun. “Setchi!” 

“Sergeant!” Setchi sat against a chunk of what used to be airship breathing heavily. 

“Scan this shit! How many bastards between us and those doors!” Ren yelled over the loud on going war. 

“Roger!” Setchi cautiously moved from her spot and slammed her palm down onto the ground concentrating. 

Ren flinched as a massive boulder careened over their cover almost crushing Setchi. _Fuck no._ “Kirā!” She yelled eyeing the gigantic Kyoshi laying in the prone behind uprooted earth. “Deal with that asshole!” Ren watched as Kirā stood up and leveled her Katana showing no fear as she dodged an incoming boulder. _I knew I picked a good one._ At that Kirā was gone as fast as a bolt of lightning jumping clean over the earth she’d used for cover. 

“Sergeant! There’s at least thirty between us and the doors!” 

“How many Kyoshi?” Ren yelled. 

“None! They’re being pushed back!” 

“Not for long!” Ren retorted, and counted how many grenades she had. _I’ll take point, Kirā to my right, Setchi to my left, Kiko and Eri on their flanks, Arashi taking up the rear._ Snapping her out of her thoughts Kirā came leaping over their cover rolling to a stop as a burst of flame engulfed the air above them. Ren was about to ask how it went when she spotted Kirā’s blood drenched Katana. “LISTEN UP!” Ren yelled loud enough that everyone heard her. “We’re pushing up to the doors! Diamond formation, you two!” She pointed to Kirā and Setchi. “To my left and right! Kiko Eri, fall in on their right and left. Arashi stay behind me!” Ren stuck her swords in the ground and pulled three grenades from her vest. “On my mark!” She pulled the pin on her first grenade and tossed it high through the smoke, immediately she pulled the pin on the next and tossed it after the first. She pulled the pin on the third as the explosions shook the ground beneath her. Ren arced the last grenade as hard as she could towards the doors. “NOW!” She grabbed her swords from the earth and leapt over their cover. 

 

Running with her swords drawn through the smoke that was so thick it made her eyes burn. Things came quickly at her though the smoke, pieces of airship, and dead Red Lotus. “On the right!” Ren adjusted her course as the smoke thinned and she spotted three Red Lotus with swords drawn. She could hear the heavy booted foot prints of her team behind her and she knew she’d have back up. “Middle!” She leapt and rolled to close the distance slicing her swords through the air, one into the knee of the Red Lotus and the other to block a downward strike from the same enemy. Before she could even register it the Red Lotus to her left was blown backwards by a boulder and the one to the right was missing her head. Ren pulled the sword from her enemy’s knee and drove it through his chest. “Keep moving!” They stepped over their dead prey and ran again. Slowly but surely the doors were getting closer. The smoke cleared and Ren ran into what must’ve been ground zero. The entire area was a large charred field of earth with nothing around it. _SHIT!_ “Setchi Cover!” She ordered crouching as a solid block of earth shot up in front of her. The entire clearing lifted up in a wave knocking her and her squad on their backs. Kirā was first on her feet blood stained katana at the ready. Ren joined her and turned to see an entire group of Red Lotus charging their position. The grenades had worked, but not well enough. “Enemy front! Kill them all!” Ren brought her swords up and charged. Boulders whizzed by her both from her side and theirs. Her squad slammed into the group weapons drawn each bringing down their first attackers in the first few blows. Ren quickly leaned herself backwards as a burst of flame nearly burned her head off. The enemy were all armored in grey and red leather armor. Suitable only for sparing and fending off attacks by benders. Ren dodged another burst of fire and slid her sword into a an enemy that tired attacking with a sword of his own. The earth beneath her feet shot upwards sending her into the air, she adjusted mid flight and crashed down on two Red Lotus boots first. With a swipe of each sword they were dead. Her armor caught a sword smashing sideways into her chest knocking her back. _For armored appoints you stab, not slice._ She drove both swords through the armor of her attacker before he could recover. Before she could bring her swords up to fight again a huge chunk of earth flew into her chest sending her sprawling backwards. As she struggled to regain her breath she could see her squad hard at work cutting down Red Lotus almost as fast as they could attack them. She sucked in air as a Red Lotus fire bender shot two blades of fire at her. Rolling to dodge she shot to her feet and charged hoping to close the distance. _SHIT!_ The Firebender leveled two fingers at her and lightning erupted from them. Stoping in her tracks clenching her swords the lightning hit her. The relief hit her first as she realized she wasn’t hurt, the fear on the fire bender’s face hit her second. Her war paint curled into an evil looking smile as she dropped her swords and leveled her gloved hands and fired the Kaminari suit. Two blue lightning bolts shot from her hands hitting the Fire Bender. Even over the sound of the battle happening around her she could hear the fire bender scream. _So that’s what its like to bend…_ She grabbed her swords as another group of Red Lotus charged their position. Ren almost broke into a run but froze as all the Red Lotus stopped in their tracks, some of them screamed, some of them shook, but they all stopped on command. She turned and watched as Korra walked into the middle of the clearing arms raised. 

I

Korra sighed as the wave of pleasure coursed through her body, she could feel each heart beat in her hands pounding away growing faster by the second. The euphoria was almost too intense, the battle ground faded away as she moved her hands and brought them all to their knees. Korra kept them there, their weapons had fallen away and they all shook in their armor, she closed her grip and they all screamed.

“Korra! Stop!” Lin said from a distance. 

She barely heard Lin yelling her name, her shoulders tensed as she enjoyed the bunch of racing hearts in her hands.

Ren glanced at each member of her squad, each had gotten blood on their weapons, but spilt none of their own. She carefully advanced on the Avatar. “Korra, we need to get inside…” She was standing too close for her own comfort, watching the glazed over eyes staring off into the distance. Ren flinched as an explosion echoed off the fortress’ walls and the fighting continued elsewhere in the field. “Let’s go!” 

Korra sighed, _Fine,_ with two swipes of her fists the kneeling Red Lotus warriors’ necks snapped in one horrific cracking sound. The cloud of euphoria ebbed letting the battle come rushing back to her senses. She could see the gigantic doors to the fortress ahead of them. Walking towards them without a care in the world for the battle going on around her, the waves of pleasure completely drowned out the slightest pain in her heart. She took a deep breath and concentrated, her eyes ignited with white light. The fortress was hundreds of years old, carved into the mountain by earth benders, the doors which stood almost as high as the fortress were carved from the same rock. Slamming her foot forward into a lunge and shooting her fists forward she gripped the doors. 

Ren hit the deck as the doors exploded outwards, the bits of shattered rock joined the wreckage of the airship causing another cloud of dust. _Could’ve warned us!_ She stood and brushed off the dirt and dust and grabbed her radio. “Squad one moving into the fortress!” 

Korra came out of the Avatar state and admired her handy work, her heart stabbed at her. She stifled a pained cry and clutched her hand around her heart. _What the fuck._ She clenched her teeth as the stabbing stopped. 

“Are you okay?” Lin rushed up beside her. 

“Fine.” Korra took a deep breath and concentrated on the weakening pleasure in her veins. “Fine, let’s get these bastards.” 

“Look…maybe you should go back.” Lin cautioned. _Don’t die on me kid._

“I am fine!” Korra started to walk towards the open doors of the fortress. 

Ren looked uncertainly at the Avatar but a stray ball of fire over their heads from a near by battle ended her caution. “Everyone inside!” 

I

Tenzin brought his bison in low and fast pulling on the reins causing the great big beast to rear up as the ground came up to meet it. The huge feet of the bison kicked up a dust cloud in the gravel driveway of the Sato Estate, but it didn’t bother Asami. Even from across the driveway Tenzin could see she was not herself. “Are you ready?” 

Asami nodded and walked towards the bison with a certain sadness in her stride. She was on a mission she didn’t want to carry out. Each foot lingered wishing it hadn’t stepped forward. “How far is it?” She asked as she climbed aboard. 

Tenzin gave the reins a toss sending the bison skyward. “It’s close.” _Not close enough._

Asami’s electro gauntlet felt like it weighted a hundred pounds. “Tenzin, if she’s still…” _Alive._ “I’m not sure I can use this on her,” 

“You’ll have to, it might be the only thing that can save her now.” Even as Tenzin said it he couldn’t believe it. _How did it come to this?_ “It won’t be easy, but it’s necessary.” 

The electro gauntlet stared at her. 

I

Ren went wide eyed as she ran through the dust cloud into the fortress, the main hall was as tall and wide as the huge doors that used to close the hall off. The earth benders that carved the fortress had taken their time. Massive columns spaced every several feet reached from the floor to the curved ceiling. The hall stretched almost as far as they could see, only lit by dim fires burning in massive iron cauldrons chained to the ceiling. “Kirā, Eri, stay here and discourage the curious.” Ren motioned for the rest of the squad to follow as Korra and Lin fell into step behind them. The boots of Ren’s squad echoed down the hall as they ran down the hall weapons at the ready. _How deep does this hall go?_ “Setchi, scan this shit.” Ren slowed to a halt. 

“It’s…hard to make out.” Setchi concentrated as her foot stuck to the ground. 

_If you want it done right._ Lin stomped the ground after bending the armor away from her foot. _This place is fucking giant._ “There’s an intersection up ahead, three paths, rooms attached to each. The left path leads to the biggest—” Lin stopped as four armored Red Lotus members ran into the center of the intersection she’d just described. Without even thinking about it she shot her cables out like whips slamming them into the necks of the two Red Lotus members with swords. They dropped with a thud as the other two sprang into action. 

Ren readied her sword as the one on the right stomped down and the floor of the main hall began to burn red. “How many of these fuckers do they have!” 

Korra ignored the soreness in her heart as the second Red Lotus bent an air scooter beneath herself and shot across the growing field of Lava. “Not enough!” She concentrated and ripped the air out from underneath the air bender sending her crashing into the lava. Korra flinched as Setchi rocketed upwards on a pillar of earth shooting across the lava field. Korra watched impressed as Setchi hit the ground and rolled springing up behind the bender. Before he could even react she’d launched a swift kick into his side, immediately bringing her fist down on his neck. He hit the ground and she bent it around him trapping him. Korra looked at Ren who seemed unimpressed. “Can she lava bend?”

“No,” Ren looked at the orange glowing ground. 

Korra lunged forward and brought her arms with her enveloping Ren and her squad in a blast of wind shooting down the hall. The orange ground dimmed and cooled quickly solidifying. “Can he talk?” She asked strolled confidently past the smoking corpse of the burned Red Lotus member. 

Setchi back handed the man in her earth prison and he groaned in pain. “Sure can.” 

Korra rolled her neck trying to enjoy the warmth in her body, she walked up to the man and placed her hand around his neck. He’d shaved his head and wore a few scars from his training with the Red Lotus. It was an eerie reminder of Zaheer. “Tell me where Master Koju is.” 

“Please…don’t kill me!” 

Korra sighed. “You died the day you joined the Red Lotus.” She tightened her grip around his throat. “Now, if you tell me where your leader is, I’ll let one of these ladies kill you instead of me.” She wanted to drop the earth away from him and blood bend, but the searing pain in her heart was still fresh in her mind. She grimaced as the man began to cry. “Tell me!” 

“I don’t know!” His voice shook.

Ren snapped out of her trance, she was no stranger to violence but she wasn’t keen on seeing the man barbecued like Korra had done earlier. “Ask him what leads where.” 

“Where do these halls lead?” Korra asked loosening her grip so he could speak, she could still feel the last remnants of pleasure from earlier, but already her hand twitched. _It’s just one guy, it won’t hurt…_ Before she could stop herself she brought her fist down on the man’s nose causing him to scream. The blood that gushed from his nose made her skin crawl. 

“The left hall leads to the barracks, the one to the right is the dojo, the main hall leads to the auditorium!” The man spoke through his busted nose. 

Korra let her hand shake and felt for his panicked heart, the blood pouring from his nose lifted off as she leveled her hand. “Thank you.” 

Ren drove her dagger into the man’s neck ending him quickly. _Avatar or not…she’s getting blood thirsty._ “Let’s go, we don’t have much time.” She cleaned the dagger and slipped it back into the holster on her boot. “Setchi with me, we’ll take the barracks, Lin and Kiko take the dojo, Korra…are you going to be okay on your own?” 

Korra realized she was staring at the blood pouring out of the man’s neck. “I’ll be fine, auditorium?” 

“Kiko go with her,” 

“I said I’m fine.” Korra clenched her hand so it wouldn’t twitch. 

Lin grabbed her arm. “Be careful.” 

Korra couldn’t help her hand form twitching, she sighed. “I will.” 

I

Mako watched gripping the edge of the control panel as the battle unfolded in front of his eyes. The Kyoshi had been fighting since their boots touched the ground, explosions had been constantly ringing amongst the occasional clank of swords and screaming. Smoke obscured most of the field but from what he saw the Kyoshi were winning. As the Kyoshi had deployed the Red Lotus had swarmed from every opening of the fortress possible but eventually the supply stopped and the Kyoshi stood fast. Another explosion echoed through the valley as some of the Kyoshi’s grenades went off. Mako sighed and let his head hit the control panel. _Is this really the way to do this?_

“All Kyoshi units, this is Master Tenzin of the Air Nation, we’re inbound on a bison we mean no harm do not attack.” 

“Master Tenzin, please state your intent.” A captain of one of the Warships called over the radio. 

“We’re here to assist the Avatar.” 

Mako knew a lie when he heard one. _Time to go._ He grabbed the Captain of the ship by her arms. “What’s the fastest way off this ship?” 

“There’s a mecha-suit in the hangar…” 

“…That’ll do.” Mako bolted out of the bridge sprinting down the metal pipe lined hallway, and jumped down the steps to the hangar. The mecha-suit was strapped into the far wall of the hangar past the open bay doors. Before he reached it he launched a volley of fire burning the straps clean off. It was a modern mecha-suit with the logo of Kuivra’s army scratched off and the Kyoshi insignia etched above it. Mako had never had the chance to use one outside of Asami’s house years ago. The canopy hissed as it released and revealed his seat, quickly he pulled the seat belt over his shoulders and clicked it into place. Closing the canopy he could hardly keep the grin off his face. The mecha-suit shuttered to life as he wrenched the controls and ran for the open bay doors. _Here goes nothing!_ He leapt into the air plummeting fast towards the ground. 

I

Lin stomped the ground, her and Kiko stood next to the door to the dojo, while the entrance to the main hall was huge, the entrance to the dojo was normal by comparison. Lin continued to scan. “There are eight in there,” She concentrated. “One has a bow, another a sword, the rest must be benders.” Lin stepped back and made ready to rip the stone doors apart. 

“Wait…” Kiko pulled off one of the blocks of explosive strapped to her armor. “I’ve got an idea.” She busied herself plugging a detonator into the block. 

Lin raised an eyebrow, to her she looked like any other Kyoshi, though she wore more red in her warpaint than the others. _Ren must have chose you for some reason._ “Hurry with that.” 

“Can you bend a hole in the door?” 

Lin nodded as Kiko held up her hand and counted with her fingers, as soon as Kiko dropped the last finger Lin launched a punch sending a disc of stone exploding into the dojo. Right behind it Kiko threw her explosives. She ducked as the concussion rocked the room on the other side of the door. Slamming her fists into the ground the doors exploded inwards “Go!” 

Kiko was already gone katana drawn still blood stained from her earlier kills, the dojo was a large open room with wicker floors and free weights on the far side. the explosives had killed two who's bodies lay in the middle of the floor. Kiko quickly scanned slowing her pace and keeping her katana ready. She flinched and bent backwards as a metal weight came flying at her, followed by six more. Kiko wasn’t an air bender but she ducked and weaved through the volley of metal weights like one would. She finally identified her attacker, a metal bender in dark grey and red robes. _Six left, where the fuck are the-_ She felt the ground beneath her heave throwing her off balance as a weight came sailing towards her stomach. Kiko hit the ground hard all of her breath forced out by the impact of the weight. 

Lin fired her cable wrapping the tip around one of the weights and whipped it through the air crashing it into the earth bender’s head. The rest of their opponents came into the fire light of the dojo. “I’ll handle the benders, you do your sword thing.” Lin fired another cable capturing another weight as three Red Lotus warriors walked towards her ready to strike. They were all dressed in the same grey and red robes. “Do you idiots know who you’re dealing with?” She bent her cables flicking them back and forth with the weights on the end as she did. “I’m Lin Beifong, daughter of Toph Beifong…” _‘Kick their asses for me’_ “And you killed my fiancé.” She bent her cables as the trio of Red Lotus launched into a barrage of attacks ripping earth from beneath the dojo floor. Lin brought the weight on the end of her cable smashing through a solid block of bent earth meant for her head. Whipping her second cable into the air she split the second boulder in half and cartwheeled bending the halves back at her attackers. The third Red Lotus brought up two boulders from the earth. Lin had already sliced her cables through the air sending them slamming down on the shoulders of the third Red Lotus. He cried out in pain as his collar bone shattered and Lin leapt away as the first and second Red Lotus began to attack. 

_‘GET UP KYOSHI!’_ Ren’s voice screamed inside Kiko’s head as the air sucked into her lungs. _BLOCK!_ She brought her katana up just in time to block a heavy handed strike jumping to her feet and ignoring her screaming lungs she concentrated on her enemies. The sword’s owner an armored Red Lotus warrior that stood a good foot taller than Kiko, and a robed female standing ready with bow and arrow. Kiko readied herself lowering her katana and waiting for her opponents to strike. She began to back track carefully placing one foot behind herself. The Archer was first to strike launching an arrow almost as fast as Kiko could react. The arrowhead sparked off the blade of her sword as it split in two. She ducked and brought her blade slashing sideways as the Swordsman lunged. The tip of her sword nicked his armored shin as he leapt back. Before his feet touched the ground her foot drove into his stomach sending him backwards. She turned to see the Archer firing an arrow and tried to dodge it, the arrow flew at her face ripping a long gash across her cheek. Her cry of pain instantly became a cry of rage. She charged. The Archer quickly began to launch more and more arrows at her. Her sword moved as fast as she could think, faster than the Archer could shoot her arrows. Kiko was close enough to see her widening eyes before she launched into a strike, the Archer had an arrow ready but Kiko’s katana sliced straight through the bow in her hands and straight into her neck. She rolled forward over the Archer’s body as the Swordsman slammed his sword down where she was standing seconds before. She readied her katana and wiped the blood off her face. _I’m so done with these fuckers._ Kiko eyed the Archer’s quiver laying on the ground. The swordsman held his ground breathing heavily in his armor waiting for her move. She rolled again snatching an arrow as she did, the swordsman brought his sword swooping down but her’s was already closing the distance. The blade sliced through his wrists a fraction of a second before she drove the arrow though his jaw and into his skull. 

Lin launched the weights from the end of her cables sending them crashing into the second Red Lotus’s neck and head. The Third had never recovered from his collar bones being crushed and Lin had let him die in the crossfire. The last Red Lotus brought up a mass of fist sized rocks ready to launch. Lin sent one cable flying towards his feet the next slicing through the air shattering a few of the fist size rocks that defended him. He leapt over the low cable but not fast enough to realize Lin had begun to charge. She bent the armor around her forearms into blades and drove them both into his chest. He couldn’t even scream before he hit the ground. 

“Not bad…you could’ve been a Kyoshi instead of a cop.” Kiko who was slightly out of breath and held a hand to her wound walked across the destroyed dojo. 

“My mother would have killed me.” Lin bent her armor back into shape catching her breath. Her blood froze as a deafening scream echoed through the fortress. _Korra!_

I

Ren crept into the barracks, Setchi had scanned and told her little, the barracks were full of wooden bunks lining the walls. She moved silently swords at the ready, _this is too easy,_ the barracks were seemingly empty. Which made sense to Ren if there was an all out war going on outside. However after years of being with the Kyoshi, she knew you always had to leave a guard. “Scan it again.”

“Roger.” Setchi concentrated and stomped her foot into the ground. 

Ren hit the deck as the earth beneath them exploded sending Setchi into the ceiling, Ren shot to her feet as three Red Lotus advanced down the corridor created by the bunks. _Bow, Earth bender, and?_ She got her answer as the third Red Lotus lit up two fire daggers. _Shit._ “Setchi! On your feet!” She kept her guard up and glanced at the pile of rubble Setchi lay on top of, she was clearly unconscious. _For fuck sake._ She gave her blades a spin and took a deep breath. _The Earth bender is clearly the heavy hitter,_ She was keenly aware of how bright the Fire bender’s daggers were glowing. Ren slashed as an arrow shot through the air towards her clashing against her blade. _Losing the advantage Kyoshi!_ Her instructors screamed in her head, spurring her into a sprint as she slashed another arrow out of the air. The Earth bender opened up first with a massive boulder bent straight from the floor. She slid to her knees letting the boulder sail over her. The Fire bender took the initiative and charged the short distance between them fire daggers bursting from his hands. As soon as her feet touched the ground she jumped backwards and sliced missing the Fire bender only by inches as he brought his second dagger across in a swooping motion spewing fire in a wide arc. Instantly the bunks caught fire. Ren could feel the heat from each strike she dodged. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the Archer pull an arrow from his quiver. The Fire bender didn’t see it but Ren did, and she knew it was her chance. She brought her sword right through the arc of fire slamming the hilt onto the Fire bender’s face. Ren pulled him towards her as the Archer released his arrow. She drove her blade through the Fire bender’s armor as the arrow shot into him. Ren shoved his corpse off her and kicked him away. The shock on the Earth bender’s face stayed for only moments before he ripped a column of earth up shooting towards Ren. She leapt over it as a barrage of rocks fired at her. Her swords sliced through one aimed at her head as two more hit her armored stomach. She felt the blows but it didn’t knock her off her feet. 

“Kill her!” The Archer shouted. 

Ren dove forward as the wall to her right exploded outwards at the Earth bender’s command. She rolled to her feet as a boulder from the wall smashed into her legs throwing her down. _Shit!_ Ren was back on her feet in seconds charging the Earth bender, as he readied his next strike she shot her hand forward slinging one of her swords like a spear. The Earth bender was too slow, She watched in satisfaction as the sword plunged into his chest. Her victory was short lived as pain exploded in Ren’s stomach. She fell to her knees and looked down at the arrow sticking through her armor. Before she could react another arrow rocketed into her shoulder shoving her backward so she sat on her feet. _Get up!_ She heard the archer fire another arrow and instinctively shot her hand up. The arrow head sliced into her gloved hand but she closed her fist around it just in time to stop it from burying itself into her head. _GET UP!_ Using her sword as support she got to her feet crying out in pain as she felt the arrows inside her. The Archer was taken aback, but he readied another arrow and fired _Left!_ Ren moved her eyes filling with tears as she did, the arrow missed her only by centimeters. The Archer reached back for another arrow but his hand grasped nothing but air. “Lucky me.” Ren kept the quiver of pain out of her voice, she reached up grabbing the arrow sunken into her shoulder. She ripped it out not bothering to stifle her scream. She sucked in air through her teeth as the Archer grew more and more terrified. “That’s the thing about swords, they never run out.” Ren tossed the blood soaked arrow away and readied her sword. The arrow in her stomach burned. She wanted to make the Archer hurt, but she needed to get help more. The Archer cowered in fear dropping his bow. Ren yelled in pain and anger as she raised her sword and brought it down and in one precise swipe decapitating the Archer where he stood. Ren could feel the tears burning down her face, it was only now she realized that the bunks had all caught fire and were beginning to fill the room with smoke and flames. She moved quickly through the smoke and pulled her sword from the Earth bender’s chest. _Fuck…Setchi you better be conscious._ Ren coughed immediately feeling an almost crippling pain as the arrow in her stomach moved. She knew better than to remove it, the arrow head did a better job of stopping the blood than any bandage would. The smoke was thickening as she retracted her steps back to where Setchi had hit the ceiling. The more the smoke filled the room the more she coughed, the more the pain wracked her body. Finally she found the pile of earth that Setchi was still knocked out on. Ren spat trying to clear her mouth of the smoke taste, she took a knee trying to find cleaner air. Ren placed her hand on Setchi’s neck checking for a pulse, _thank fuck,_ she resisted the temptation to shake her. _Note to self, train her reaction time._ Ren took a moment to compose herself, the smoke was thickening and soon would engulf the room. However the task that lay before her was going to be an extremely painful one. She sheathed her swords and grabbed Setchi by the straps of her armor. Her shoulder screamed at her even before she began to pull. She tried to take a deep breath but the smoke smothered her. _Fuck it!_ She pulled on Setchi’s armor letting out a yell as the wounds in her shoulder and stomach filled her body with pain. Setchi’s unconscious body slid from the rubble pile. Ren’s legs started to burn as she slowly backed her way towards the door dragging her warrior across the floor. _Just a little more._ The thought drove her further but the unbearable pain made her see stars. Slowly but surely she neared the door her legs felt like she was trying to tread water in wet concrete. Her lungs filled with smoke causing her to cough violently. _Get moving!_ She grit her teeth and dragged Setchi the last few dozen feet to the door and collapsed into the corridor leading to the main hall. It hurt badly to take deep breaths but the smoke free air was worth it to Ren. She lay there on the stone floor sucking in the unpolluted air. A little freaked out about the arrow bobbing up and down with her stomach. She sat up trying her best to ignore the pain but failing miserably. “Setchi!” She called tempted to kick the unconscious squad member. “Wake up Kyoshi!” Ren was about to yell at her warrior again when an ear ringing scream shot through the air. _Oh no._

I

Korra burst into the auditorium surprising a gathering of Red Lotus Warriors on the stage floor, her hand didn’t even have time to shake. They all tensed as she controlled them, dragging them across the floor to her feet. A few of them screamed but Korra was too zoned out to hear them, she could barely contain herself as the overwhelming flood of pleasure hit her body. As it subsided she quickly glanced around the auditorium checking for more threats. The door had lead her on to a stage surrounded by stone seating like an ancient amphitheater inside a cave. In the center of the seating spanning the height and width was a painted Red Lotus. The cries of pain and groaning echoed as her grip twitched causing her prey to contort and jerk back and forth. She bit her lip trying simultaneously to savor the pleasure and concentrate on the task at hand. “Listen up!” She brought them all to their knees with a sharp movement of her wrists. “I need to know where your boss is, the one who tells me, doesn't get torn in half.” She looked at her prey, six Red Lotus warriors in their customary robes. Four of them were men the other two women. Everyone had a pained expression on their faces.

“You think we—”

Korra interrupted one of the shorter haired males by crushing his pulse in her hands, the harder she squeezed the more intense the rush. With one hand forcing the five down and the other causing the sixth to scream in agony, she quickly let go of the five to kill the sixth. She gripped his pulse in both hands and ripped them apart. The scream echoed off the rock walls of the auditorium. Korra let her head fall back as the blood spatter hit them all. She gripped the five again and looked them all in the eyes as blood dripped off her face. “I will not ask any of you again, where is Master Koju.” 

“Master Koju…”

Korra’s heart stabbed at her causing her grip on them to tighten cutting off one of the females answer. Korra gritted her teeth. “Continue.” _What the fuck is wrong with me._

“Master Koju has already won…you just don’t know it yet Avatar.” 

Korra’s heart stabbed at her again causing her to grimace and attempt to hide a look of pain. “Oh you think so?” Korra closed her grip concentrating on each individual heart beat, slowly but surely stopping them. The looks of shear pain and fear in their eyes as they shook told Korra all she needed to hear. One by one their hearts stopped and they dropped from Korra’s grasp. As the last one fell so did Korra. The pain in her heart exploded and she hit the ground hard clutching her chest. _Shit…_

I

Asami held onto the bison’s saddle as Tenzin brought the great beast flying in low towards the fortress ripping by several small fights between Red Lotus and Kyoshi forces. The carnage was almost surreal, even as the field sped by she could see the corpses of both Kyoshi and Red Lotus strewn along the ground. Coupled with the smoke and wreckage from the airship she was already reeling in the possibility that she was too late. “Tenzin, we have to hurry!” 

“Faster Oogi!” Tenzin grabbed the reigns and rolled the Bison to one side shooting through the wreckage of the airship towards the destroyed doors.

“Tenzin wait for me!” Mako’s voice screamed over the radio. 

Asami looked off the back of the bison as a mecha suit came rushing after them. “We’ve got back up.” 

Tenzin pulled hard on the reigns and slowed the bison to a halt in front of the doors. “We’re going to need it.” He leapt off the bison onto an air scooter shooting two forceful blasts of air at Red lotus focused on various Kyoshi scattered around them. “We need to get inside, if she’s anywhere that’s where she’ll be!” 

Asami nodded and hit the ground running, she wanted to help the Kyoshi that battled around her but she didn’t want to use the electro gauntlet on anyone else. She knew the idea was stupid but if using it interfered with its capabilities at all, causing it to fail when she used it on Korra, she couldn’t even think of what might happen. _Please Korra, just be okay…_ She rushed after Tenzin feeling the pounding steps of Mako’s mecha-suit as her feet hit the ground. Asami dove into the fortress as bursts of flame and boulders showered where she’d been moment’s before. She ran to the side as Mako crashed through the opening where the massive doors once were. 

“Who the fuck are you three?” Kirā asked sword at the ready. 

Tenzin eyed uneasily the massive Kyoshi with her sword drawn. “We’re here to help Avatar Korra.” 

Kirā lowered her sword and pointed down the huge main hall. “She went that way”

Asami’s heart dropped, Tenzin’s blood ran cold, and Mako froze as a piercing scream echoed down the hall. 

I

“Master Koju, the Avatar is on site, she brought Kyoshi with her, we’re combating on all fronts but they…they’re winning.” 

“Stay the course…everything is going according to plan.”

I

Korra’s heart throbbed as she suffered just to get to her feet. _Get yourself together…_ she gritted her teeth as she struggled to stay on her feet. “I KNOW YOU’RE HERE! SHOW YOURSELF!” Tears burned her face as much from rage as pain. She looked at the five bodies and the puddle of blood in front of her. “I’ll kill every single last one of you!”

“There’s no need Avatar…” 

Korra readied herself as a single figure appeared high on the concrete steps. “Master Koju?” 

The figure in hooded red and grey robes laughed. “Poor Avatar Korra, corrupted by blood bending…so much so that she can’t even tell when she’s been lead to the slaughter.” 

Korra ignored the pain in her heart. “My slaughter?” 

“Yes.” 

Korra’s jaw dropped as the stadium flooded with Red Lotus, slowly but surely every stone bench of seats was filled with Red Lotus warriors standing at the ready. She clenched her fists. “If you think you can finish what Zaheer and them started you’re wrong!”

“Avatar…what the holy ones started was a noble quest, flawed, but noble…” The robed figure at the top of the auditorium seats yelled. 

Korra could already feel the heart beats pounding around her. “You think so?” The sharp pain in her heart hadn’t even dissipated yet and already her hand twitched. 

“I know so.” The hooded figure raised his hand pushing on a remote instantlythe door behind Korra exploded. 

Korra’s ears rang with the noise of the explosion that closed her only exit. “The Red Lotus is over. You all will die today!” Korra screamed at the auditorium full of enemies. 

“The Red Lotus has just begun, the holy ones were preoccupied with ending the Avatar Cycle, your cycle.” 

Korra shivered remembering the feeling of the platinum chains around her wrists and ankles.

“Our goal is, considerably more attainable, why destroy the Avatar Cycle when you can just restart it.” The robed figure sneered. “You die, another Avatar is born, and the Red Lotus will flourish while your replacement is still in diapers.” 

“I’m not going to let that happen.” Korra ignored the throbbing pain in her heart and concentrated letting Raava’s energy dull the pain in her heart and flow through her body. As her eyes started to glow she bent the air around her letting herself hover off the ground. “This ends today!” Her voice echoed off the walls of the auditorium. The ground beneath her cracked and shook as she ripped it from the ground forming a ring of spinning earth. “The Red Lotus is OVER!” Fire burst from her mouth as she spoke weaving its way around the sphere. She brought her hand’s up feeling the dozens and dozens of pounding heart beats. She knew what fear felt like, and all the Red lotus were terrified. Her hands shook and the warriors filling the auditorium all tensed. Korra’s eyes glowed as her heart pounded painfully in her chest, even through the Avatar state she could feel the rush of their hearts exploding in her hands, and the pain in her heart. One by one the Red Lotus filling the auditorium died under Korra’s control. The blood ripped from their bodies and flowed through the air and began to spin around Korra’s sphere. The sphere of air tinted red as her heart stabbed at her. Through the blood she could see the leader still standing at the top of the steps. As he stood on steps surrounded by dead Red Lotus he looked at her unafraid. Korra grimaced as her heart beat raced and her chest tightened. She raised her hand once more and gripped the last man’s heart in her hands causing him to tense and hover in the air “The Red Lotus will never…” Korra’s heart stuttered in her chest, _kill the bastard!_ She clenched both hands and watched him fall to his knees, she twisted her hands. He didn’t even scream but his blood flowed into the sphere enveloping Korra as she hovered in the air. The pain in her chest started to pulse with her heart, each thump a brick trying to bludgeon its way out of her chest. The glowing in her eyes faltered and the element’s she’d bent around herself collapsed with her onto the ground. _What…_ Korra could hardly breathe, she laid on all fours trying desperately just to breathe. The floor was slick with the blood that she’d bent causing an eerie pained reflection to stare back at her. Her hands were numb as she moved them through the blood surrounding her causing her reflection to ripple. _The Avatar state…_ Korra struggled to take a deep breath and concentrated as best she could with her chest imploding. She took a deep breath and screamed. 

I

Asami was the first to reach the end of the main hall, she’d sprinted the whole way her heart dropping further and further as she got closer to the auditorium’s entrance to see it was blocked off. 

“What are you doing here?” Ren asked as she dragged Setchi another few feet finally able to stop, she took a knee and tried to catch her breath. The arrow bobbed along with her pained breaths. 

Tenzin guided his air scooter towards the entrance and hit the ground running. “Is she through there?” 

Mako came clanking up to the group. “Ren?” 

_Oh for fuck sake._ “Somebody please tell me what you’re all doing here.” 

“We’re here for Korra.” Tenzin answered noticing the arrow in her stomach. “Are you okay?” 

Ren sighed. “Fine, I’m fine…Korra went in there.” She pointed to the pile or rubble. 

Mako climbed out of his Mecha suit and rushed over to Ren. “What happened?” 

Ren gritted her teeth and stood up. “What does it look like,” She unsheathed one of her swords. “Hold the end of the arrow.”

“What?” Mako asked uncertain. 

“Hold the damn thing, don’t pull it out.” Ren tried to steady her breath, stifling the temptation to scream as Mako grabbed the feathered end of the arrow. In one swift movement she brought her sword down and through the shaft of the arrow close to her stomach. She cried out in pain. “That should do it…” She resisted the urge to collapse, we need to get through that wall.” She turned to look at Setchi who was still very unconscious. “And I’m fresh out of earth benders.” 

Mako turned to the suit. “I have an idea.” He climbed into the suit and fired it up, walking up to the pile of rubble with heavy pounding steps. He ripped on the controls and the suit’s massive arms slammed down on the pile of rubble. He repeated the process slowly but surely smashing his way through the pile of rock. 

Lin came sprinting up. “Out of the way!” 

Ren turned to see Kiko holding a hand to her cheek. “How did you fare?” 

Kiko looked at the stub of wood sticking out her boss’s stomach and her blood soaked shoulder. “Archer?” 

Ren rolled her eyes. “Archer.” 

Lin stomped her feet into the ground and began punching the air bending a path way straight through the rock faster than Mako’s suit could. “Ren…call for a medic.” 

_I don’t need a…oh._ “All squad leaders, this is Sergeant Ren, need urgent medical assistance inside the fortress…Avatar Korra is down.” 

“Almost through!” Lin yelled and punched one last time clearing a hole through the rubble. 

Asami rushed through the dust cloud created by Lin’s efforts. As the dust settled the auditorium came into view. _No…_ Her eyes filled with tears as her blood soaked girlfriend hovered on an orb of air eyes glowing brightly. “Korra!” She stopped in front of her ignoring the gruesome scene around them. “Korra! What’s happened?

Ren rushed in with the rest of the team, while they were focused on the Avatar hovering before them she couldn’t take her eyes off the stadium seats. She was far from queasy but the sight of that many bodies and the blood made her want to puke. _What the fuck did she do?_

Tenzin froze as he looked up at his former pupil. _I’m too late…_

_Shit._ Lin retracted her cables seeing all the threats had been more than neutralized, her gaze returned to Korra’s glowing eyes. “What’s going on with her?”

Mako said nothing as he climbed out of the mechasuit. _Damn it Korra…what have you done to yourself._

“KORRA!” Asami screamed. 

“Korra is using the Avatar state in order to prolong her own life.” 

Asami held a hand over her mouth as Korra spoke, the voice came from her mouth but wasn’t hers. “Who are you, what have you done to her!”

“Asami, my name is Raava, Korra is one with me and I am one with her.” Korra’s corpse echoed. 

Tenzin immediately bowed his head. “Raava, I beg you, there must be something you can do? Korra has brought more balance than many Avatars before her, you must save her!” 

“I cannot, the damage she’s done to herself is beyond my help.” 

“Why didn’t you stop her!” Asami screamed tears pouring down her face. 

“Her will is her own, I cannot interfere, I can only try and guide her path when she seeks out my council.” Raava’s voice echoed off the walls. 

Ren sighed and took a knee, the blood loss was beginning to take its toll. Thankfully Kiko had dragged Setchi into the auditorium instead of her. “What happened to her?” 

“She took her revenge on the Red Lotus,” Korra’s corpse turned on its sphere of air and raised her arms. “The fruits of her labors.” 

Tenzin looked at the dozens and dozens of bodies strewn around all soaked in their own blood. _What have you done?_ Tears filled his eyes. 

Asami ignored the corpses and focused on the one hovering in front of her. “You have to save her!” She was angry now. 

“I wish I could my child. Blood bending is a perversion of water bending, forcing one’s will upon another by bending their very bodies. The strain of which took its toll on her, eventually it was too much.” Raava’s voice echoed. “When I release her from the Avatar state her heart will fail.” 

“You have to do something, _anything_!” Asami screamed. 

“I will help her, but I _cannot_ save her. I know how much you meant to her Asami…I will help her say goodbye.” Raava’s voice faded away and the glowing in Korra’s eyes flickered. 

Asami reacted quickly and caught Korra before she plummeted to the ground. “Korra!” Asami shook her. “Korra!” 

Korra struggled to breath as her chest tightened even further as her eyes opened she looked up at Asami.“Asami…you’re here.” 

“I’m here,” Asami blinked away the tears. 

Korra painfully took another breath. “I’m so sorry,” 

“It’s okay Korra…you can fix it. Just stay with me…” 

Korra tensed as the crushing feeling in her chest got worse, she gently reached up and touched Asami’s cheek as blood dripped from her fingers. “I love you, I—”

Asami held Korra as she went limp in her arms, immediately she began to sob. “Korra! Come back!” She shook her in her arms. “Korra…” Asami wiped a smattering of blood off of Korra’s cheek. “Korra…please come back…” 

I

“Master Koju?” The voice on the other end of the telephone asked as his voice was drown out be several explosions. 

“Has the Avatar been dealt with?” Master Koju sat in his chair behind an obscenely ornate desk. 

“She was lured into the trap, no idea if she’s dead, but we’re being over run! We need hel—”

Master Koju slammed down the telephone and smiled, he moved his chair back and stood up. _Everything according to plan._ He grinned and went over to the mirror checking the wig that made him look like he was balding and shot his cuffs on his ill fitting suit. “Kotori! Please come in here,” He was still messing with his wig as the mousey receptionist shuffled in. “Reschedule the rest of my appointments and meetings for today, I’ve got reason to celebrate tonight.” 

The receptionist nodded. “As you wish President Tsusamo.” 

I

Asami sobbed holding Korra to her as she did, each sob more violent than the last, even with all the carnage around her all she could focus on was Korra. _Please…wake up, I need you…_ She could hardly see through the tears, but what she could feel was the warmth leeching from Korra’s body. 

Tenzin wiped a tear from his chin. _I’ve failed her…_

Ren heard the stampede of boots that everyone else ignored. _I don’t know whether to tell them to leave or not._ She stood gritting her teeth so as not to make a sound. Ren had known Asami since she was a young woman, and she’d never seen her so upset, even when her mother had passed. She cringed as the medics came rushing in. 

“Where’s the casualty?” The lead medic of a group of three Kyoshi came storming in. 

Ren sighed, the medic Kyoshi unarmed with a giant red cross painted on their armor meant well, however she knew it was too late. “She’s over there, please. Be respectful.” 

The lead medic shot over to where Asami sat sobbing. “I need to see her.” 

“She’s fine…just leave her.” Asami mumbled caressing a lock of Korra’s hair. 

The medic squatted down to Asami’s eye level. “Ma’am…she needs help, if you give her to me…I might be able to help her.” 

Asami looked at the medic uncertainty, _it’ll be okay Korra, I’ll be right here._ She carefully put Korra’s body down and backed away not noticing the pool of blood she was sat in. 

The medic immediately went to work, her team was already at her side, her training kicked in. She held her fingers at Korra’s neck. “Pulse is…abnormal” She could hardly tell if it was there at all. “Her heart is failing…” The medic’s brain spun, she looked at Asami. 

“She’s fine…” Asami stared at her reflection in the pool of blood. “She’s fine.” As the pool rippled she watched in the reflection as the medic began pushing on Korra’s chest repeatedly. Asami zoned out. _Korra will be fine…_

_“WORK YOU FU— Asami! how'd you get into the workshop?”_

_“I had a nightmare, will you tuck me in again?”_

_“In a minute Asami, I’m really close to something.”_

_“Daaaaad,”_

_“In a moment, I’ve just got to figure this out.”_

_“What’s wrong with it?”_

_“It’s out of sync, it’s got fuel and air, electricity,”_

Asami raised her eyebrow and looked at the half assembled Sato mobile in front of her. _“Didn’t you sell the Mom’s necklace to buy all those batteries?”_

Hiroshi sighed and slammed the hood down on his creation. _“Wait a second…ASAMI YOU’RE A GENIUS!”_ He rushed across his workshop and dragged two heavy batteries across the floor. 

_“What?”_

_“It’s not out of sync, it just needs more power!”_

The medic continued to push hard against Korra’s chest. “Pulse failing!” 

_She needs more power…_ Asami watched Korra’s reflection. “She needs more power!” 

Ren looked up from the stub of arrow in her stomach. “What?” 

Asami recognized the Kaminari suit in an instant. “Mako bend some lightning at Ren!” 

“What?”

Ren looked down at the gloves of her armor. “Asami…are you sure?” 

“DO IT!” Asami screamed. 

“The electricity will jumpstart her heart, just do it!” Ren raised her hands and motioned for Mako. The lightning shot across the auditorium lighting it up a bright blue and fed into the Kaminari suit. Ren’s whole body broke out in chills as the suit hummed around her. She sprinted over to Korra’s body. “Move!” She shoved the Medic out of the way and slammed both hands down on Korra’s chest. _Here goes nothing._ She fired both gauntlets causing Korra’s body to tense underneath her hands. Ren disengaged the gauntlets, Korra’s body collapsed back as her suit still hummed. _Okay…I was expecting more_. Ren looked down at Korra’s body laying lifelessly on the ground. 

_No…_ “Do it again!” 

“Asami…” Mako hesitated. 

“DO IT!” 

Ren fired the gauntlets, the room went blue and her suit buzzed again until it ran out of power. Smoke drifted off of Korra’s chest the fabric of her shirt and skin burned black. “…Nothing.” 

_No…_

Tenzin sighed and walked over to Asami who had fallen to her knees, he gently placed a hand on the sobbing women’s shoulder. “We did all we could…” 

Asami wiped away the tears as new ones fell, _she’s gone…she’s really gone…_

“It’ll be…” Tenzin stopped himself, _how can this be okay…_

Lin sighed and knelt down next to Korra gently closing her eye lids. “I’m so sorry kid.” Lin stood up and started to walk away. 

Ren sighed and turned to the medics. “Go back and get a stretcher…we’re not leaving her here.” 

Asami jumped as the silence was shattered by a shrill screaming, Korra shot up in the pool of blood eyes glowing like the sun. Asami ran to her side but was instantly frozen as Korra shot her hands up, everyone in the room tensed. Asami screamed in pain. 

“What’s going on?” Korra’s voice echoed against the walls as she stood up keeping a firm grip on everyone in the room. 

“We’re trying to save you…” Tenzin struggled to speak. 

“Korra, stop it!” 

“Who are you people?” Korra growled and kept her grip. 

“Please, stop Korra, you’re hurting me…” Asami cried out. 

Lin struggled against her grip and fired her cable sending it whipping through the air aimed at Korra’s head. The hard metal cable slapped sideways against her head and knocked her out cold. Lin dropped onto the ground her armor causing a clank. “Okay…so we save her, and she tries to kill us?” 

Ren was still seeing stars, the blood bending had tensed her whole body including her injured shoulder and stomach. “We’ll figure it out later, we need to get out of here.”

Tenzin took a deep breath. “Agreed.” He shook off the pain Korra had caused and carefully picked her up. He raised an eyebrow at Lin who’d produced a pair of handcuffs. “She’ll be fine without those.” 

Ren sat catching her breath looking at the carnage in front of her, she wiped off her bloodied hand and picked up her radio. “Warship Tylee, this is Sergeant Ren.” 

“Send it.” 

“How many demo charges on board at the moment?” Ren asked lying flat to relax her stomach.

“Over one hundred, why?” 

“What’s the situation outside?” Ren grimaced as her shoulder twinged painfully. 

“We’ve taken the perimeter, mopping up the stragglers now.” 

“Bring the demo charges into the fortress, the interior is secure.” Ren smacked away a hand of a medic. 

“That wasn’t part of the plan…” Mako knelt beside Ren not making the same mistake as the Medic. 

“Neither was that.” Ren gestured to the seats full of dead Red Lotus. 

Asami who'd sat silently after Korra’s grip had faltered looked at the seats full of corpses and blood. She silently cried as she looked at Korra’s unconscious body in Tenzin’s arms. Pulling her knees to her chest she tried to take deep breaths and calm down. 

Lin understood immediately. “Bury this whole mess for good.” 

I

“ALL SHIPS ALL SHIPS, FIRE IN THE HOLE FIRE IN THE HOLE FIRE IN THE HOLE!”

Tenzin flinched as the entire mountain seemed to lift and then slowly begin to collapse on itself. _Korra…I can’t believe its come to this._ He took a deep breath and looked across the cabin, it was a mess with different Kyoshi either watching the explosion or working on the controls. Lin stood brooding next to the captain. “Lin…”

Lin humphed.

“Korra will need a lot of help…from everyone, especially from y—”

“I’m leaving actually.” Lin smiled thinking of Kya waiting for her in the spirit world. 

“What? Why?” 

“The Red Lotus is finished, I’m finished here,” Lin raised an eyebrow as the mountain seemed to settle on itself. 

“What do you mean you’re finished?” 

“I’m going to live with Kya in the Spirit world, for good.” Lin answered. 

Tenzin sighed, he was torn between being happy for her and disappointed that she wouldn’t be there to help Korra, also something else was bothering him. “How are you going to do that?” 

Lin smirked. “I don’t know yet…but I’m going to find out.” 

I

Ren’s scream echoed through the Warship as a medic pulled the arrow head out of her stomach she bit down hard on her hand trying to keep what little composure she had left. Mako sat holding the other hand almost wishing he wasn’t as her grip was crushing her hand. Ren caught her breath. “Fucking archers!” 

“It’ll be alright.” The medic said from behind a face mask. 

“Yeah right, I’ll just have to take who knows how long off and not do any ab workouts—”

“Or cardio” The medic added as she grabbed a needle and thread. 

“Fucking fantastic.” 

“I’m glad it wasn’t worse.” Mako offered thinking of Korra’s comatose state. 

Ren grimaced as the medic stuck a needle in to her skin and began stitching the wound up. “Just get me some pain pills will you?” She sighed and let her head fall back against the table she lay on. 

Mako shrugged and looked around the room for a medicine cabinet, he settled on a metal and glass cabinet that was bolted to the wall of the Warship. “So how is the Kyoshi going to handle this whole shit show?” 

Ren smiled but immediately grimaced as the needle poked into her skin again. “What shit show.” 

“Uh the massive—” Mako frowned at his reflection in the glass. “Oh.” 

“Exactly.” Ren sighed. 

Mako returned with a pill bottle and placed it into Ren’s hand. “That’ll cut down on my paper work at least.” 

“That’ll do for now,” The medic said tying off the thread and knotting it before cutting off the excess. “I’d give it about a week or two before you can work again.” 

_Which means six days._ Ren nodded and looked at Mako then back at the medic. “Can you give us a minute?” She phrased it like a question but the medic knew better than to say no. Ren waited for the bulkhead to close with a thunk. “Well, looks like I’ll have quite a bit of time to myself this week,” She sat up grimacing as the wound in her stomach flexed, she smoothed down her shirt and eyed the armor on the floor. 

“That makes one of us,” Mako stretched his neck. “I still have to deal with the cluster fuck the office has become.” 

Ren’s lips touched his gently. “Guess we’ll have to take a lot of long lunches.” 

Mako grinned and kissed her back. “Guess so.” 

I

Asami stood staring at the bulkhead in front of her, Kirā and Kiko stood firmly on either side of the door. Kiko who’s bandaged cheek was already tinged red glanced every once and a while at Asami as she stood there. Kirā seemed dead set on not moving her eyes at all. Asami sighed. “I need to see her.” 

“She hasn’t regained consciousness yet.” Kiko replied. 

“I know.” _That means I’ll be safe…_ Asami wrenched the bulk head door’s handle and paused as it unlocked. She pushed the door and stood still as it clunked against the wall behind it. Korra was comatose on a long metal table, peaceful as she could be. The rest of the room was uninteresting to her. The only thing she could focus on was Korra. She sighed and stepped into the room slowly closing the bulk head behind her. Asami stopped herself from crying again. _Just let her know how you feel…_ Her voice caught in her throat. “I…” She took a deep breath. “Korra, I don’t really know how to say what I need to…but you hurt me.” The words jammed in her throat. “I love you…but I can’t do this…I won’t do this. I don’t know where I’m going to go but…until you can fix, whatever has happened to you. I won’t, _can’t_ , be a part of your life.” She hated the fact that a tear had rolled down her cheek. “…I really do love you…” She turned and rushed out of the room slamming the bulkhead behind her. 

I

Korra stirred, her head was throbbing and her chest was on fire, she blinked trying to shake the feeling off. She shot upwards, _what the fuck!_ She looked around the room, her room at the Air Temple, _when did I get here?_ Korra swung her legs off the bed and looked down at her chest, _what the fuck?_ She could see the burned holes in her shirt as well as the burned skin beneath. _So that’s why it stings so bad._ Shaking as she did she got to her feet and felt her skin crawl as she saw that most of her outfit was stained with blood. _What have I done?_ She could feel the panic rising in her chest. Her bare feet hardly made a noise as she rushed for the door. “Hello?” She sent the sliding door slamming sideways and came face to face with a terrified Air Nomad. 

“Avatar, you’re awake!” 

“Where is everyone?” Korra asked watching the growing fear in the Nomad’s eyes as he noticed the blood stains and burns. 

“I’ll get Master Tenzin at once.” 

Before she could protest the Nomad was gone with a literal gust of wind, _okay Korra just relax, Tenzin will explain everything and then I can figure out what the fuck happened._ She returned to her bed sitting on the stiff wicker mattress and looking at her blood stained hands. Even as she stared at the blood she could feel a growing tremor in her hand. 

“Korra…” 

She looked up at a stern faced Tenzin with a rolled news paper in his hands. “What happened? Last thing I remember I…” The memory hit her like a brick, the awful crushing in her chest and the feeling of blood all around her. “…What did I do?” She looked at Tenzin with fear in her eyes.

“You don’t remember anything?” Tenzin asked sadly. 

“Only just…my chest hurting.” She looked again at the burns. 

“You…you killed the Red Lotus,” Tenzin sighed but kept his distance. “blood bending so many people caused your own heart to fail Korra.” 

She looked at her shaking hands. “Then how am I alive?” 

Tenzin paused. “Promise you won’t do anything…drastic?” 

“Tenzin, _what the fuck did I do?_ ” She pleaded.

“Asami saved you, she used Ren’s suit to fix your heart…” Tenzin explained then stopped as he came to the part he knew she wouldn’t like. “When you were revived…you blood bent us all…”

“What?” Korra’s eyes went wide. “Is she, is _everyone_ okay?” Korra panicked. 

“Everyone’s fine…” Tenzin answered not eager to remember the pain. 

“I’m so sorry Tenzin…I can’t believe I did this…” Korra held her head in her hands. “Why did I do that…” She stifled the rising tears in her eyes. “Is Asami okay? Is she here?” 

Tenzin didn’t answer for a moment trying to formulate a response. “She is okay…but she’s left.” 

Korra sat up. “What do you mean she’s left?” 

“She…left the city,” Tenzin pushed past the fear and sat down next to Korra. 

“Where did she go?” 

“She didn’t tell anyone…”

Korra couldn’t suppress the panic anymore. “I have to find her.” 

“Korra, you have to relax, there are other things t—”

“I _have_ to find her!” Korra restated. 

“Korra…she doesn’t want you to follow her,” Tenzin sighed. 

“What?” 

“She left, because you hurt her.” 

Korra felt her chest collapse again, only this time her heart wasn’t failing, just breaking. “I…Tenzin I didn’t mean to…I would never hurt her” 

Tenzin held her as she sobbed. “She loves you…she wanted me to tell you that.” 

_I hurt her…why did I do that, what the fuck is wrong with me…_ She continued to sob. 

Tenzin held her still holding back on the real more important news. “Korra…I’m sorry,” 

Korra tried to stop sobbing. “I never wanted to hurt her.” 

“I know,” He sighed. “I know…but there’s something else I need to tell you.” Tenzin unrolled the paper and placed it into her blood stained hands. 

Korra read the paper through the tears. _AVATAR KORRA MURDERED._ “What the fuck?” 

“The Red Lotus and Kyoshi were the only ones who knew about yesterdays battle, and your…incident.” Tenzin paused as she read the paper further. 

“It says the Red Lotus killed me?” Her tears faded away leaning towards rage. 

“The Kyoshi have reassured me that none of their warriors told the press anything…Mako, Lin, and Asami would never.”

Korra’s hands clenched around the news paper. “There’s more of them…” 

Tenzin nodded. “They will have to wait Korra, you need to recover and heal.” 

Korra’s hand twitched with the paper crushed in it, instantly she thought of Asami in her grasp, and instantly she felt horrible. “I need to stop this.” 

“I’m here for you Korra,” 

She looked down at her hands and tried to control the twitching, the dried blood didn’t help control the urge. “I need to clean myself up,” 

Tenzin nodded. “There are still some of your clothes here…afterwards do you want to tell the press you’re alive?” 

Korra shook her head. “I just need to process everything…” 

“I’ll be in the house if you need anything.” Tenzin left her quietly sliding the door shut. 

Korra sat for a moment unsure of what to do, she suppressed the urge to immediately start to try and find Asami. _Just get yourself cleaned up._ She moved like a ghost, completely devoid of any enthusiasm or particular motivation. She moved to the small bathroom through a equally small sliding door and turned the shower on. The room filed with steam as she pulled off the blood stained clothing carefully pulling her shirt around the burn marks. The water was hot enough to sting and the pressure of it hitting the burns made her cry but she didn’t move or adjust the temperature. _You hurt her…_ the only way she could block the repeating thought in her head was to switch off and not think atall. On autopilot she sat down in the spraying water and scrubbed herself clean. As the water went cold she sat there just trying to keep the thought out of her head. _I hurt her…I…I really am a monster._

I

Korra pulled on her backpack full of clothes and provisions she’d stollen from the kitchen and stealthily crept out into the hallway. The battle was slowly coming back in bits and pieces each more alarming to her than the last. However the fate of her glider disappointed her more than she wanted to admit. It had been years since she’d spent much time on the island however she knew the route to Tenzin’s study fairly well. She took each step carefully cursing her self each time she stepped on a creaking board. Before making too much noise she finally reached the door and slid it open quickly darting through and closing it behind her. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she began her search. The study was a small one, mostly lined with books and a small shrine with incense burning. In the corner there was what she needed. She lifted the collapsed glider and hit the button on the shaft deploying the blue wings. _This’ll do…sorry Tenzin._ She collapsed it with a flick of her wrist and readied to leave. As she reached the door she stopped herself. _I can’t say goodbye…_ she returned to his desk and pulled a piece of paper and pen from one of the drawers. She didn’t know exactly what to say so she began to write everything. _Tenzin…I’m sorry, I never should have let myself go down the path blood bending has taken me on. I’ve let myself become_ she stopped and took a deep breath. _I’ve let myself become a monster. I have to fix this. I’ll come back when I have. You have been the best mentor I could have asked for, I don’t deserve what you and all of my other friends have given me. I will find away to fix what I’ve done to myself. Please let everyone else know that its not their fault, I should have listened to them…but its too late for that now. I’m going to fix this. Goodbye Tenzin._ Korra grabbed her glider and left the study, she carefully negotiated the hallway and stepped out into the cold night air. The empty courtyard seemed to suck away any warmth she had left, Korra could feel the urge deep in her stomach but thankfully the burns on her chest and the feeling of emptiness knowing Asami had run away from her kept her from wanting to satisfy that urge. As she neared the end of the court yard she hurried down the stone staircase. 

“Goodbye Korra,” 

Korra almost jumped out of her skin. “Jinora?” She turned to see her as she sat in the lotus position in front of a statue of Avatar Yangchen. 

“I had a feeling you’d be leaving…I hope you find her.” 

Korra raised an eyebrow. “I’m not…” She sighed. “I hope I do to.” She deployed her glider and got a running start letting the wind take her into the moonless sky. 

 

I

THE END

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For now…

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So my dear readers who have kept me writing for so long now, The Death of the Legend (part one?) has come to an end. I loved writing it hopefully as much as you all loved reading it. Most of it I wrote to music, the Korrasami bits were almost always written to “Nobody does it better” by Carly Simon, the Kyalin parts were written to “Lay your world on me” By Ozzy Osbourne. If I had to pick a song for Ren it would probably be “Talking Body” By Tove Lo as well as “WTF Love is” by the same. Most of the final chapter was written to the Kill Bill soundtrack as well as a lot of old Western Music. Ennio Morricone is incredible for battle scores. Korra’s “Death” was written to “The Grand Duel” by Luis Bacalov. Unfortunately it will be a while before there is more, a long time before theres a part two, in the interim you can expect a Lin tie in about her moving to the Spirit world with Kya permanently. If you have any other questions about the story please feel free to message me. Goodnight and Good luck. 

 

 

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